Home Minister Imran Abdullah says rehabilitating individuals who are in prison for drug-related criminal offenses is a good step in protecting the community from the effects of substance abuse.
He made these comments while speaking at the ceremony to release 32 convicts who had completed the prison-based drug rehabilitation program to their families.
The Minister noted that this is the first time in the Maldives, that convicts who had completed a prison-based rehabilitation program had been released back into society.
Imran said that this was a great leap in the work to save the community from the bad effects of substance abuse.
Maldives Correctional Services said that the 32 convicts were released yesterday with conditions.
It said that the conditions for the former convicts would be applicable for a year and that they would be closely monitored.
The narcotics business has widened in the Maldives with more and more young people now involved in drug peddling and other drug-related offenses.
