Home Minister Imran Abdullah says strengthening the institutional governance & response capacity of law enforcement agencies is pivotal to human rights protection.
He made the comments while delivering his statement at the 3rd Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Reforming law enforcement agencies, Freedom of Expression and Association.
Minister Imran said that Maldives Police Service's Strategic Plan was formulated with a renewed mission to deliver trusted, human-rights centered and collaborative policing service.
He said that the Maldives recognizes the need to direct stronger efforts to reform prison conditions, rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders as productive individuals of the society.
Minister Imran said that the Maldives has recently undertaken a project to translate the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners into the local language and ensure that by 2021, all detention facilities are operated by Nelson Mandela Rules certified officers.
He assured that the Government’s objective in this regard is to provide tailored rehabilitation, community-based programs, and vocational training for offenders to enable their meaningful reintegration into society.
In his statement, Minister Imran said that free media is a vital component in ensuring freedom of expression. He said that the Maldives affirms its commitment to independent journalism and continues to advocate for fair regulation of the industry.
