Ombudsperson's Office for Transitional Justice (OTJ) has decided to conduct closed hearings on human rights violations, inhuman treatment, and torture in Maldivian prisons.
OTJ will examine whether there had been systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms as a result of systematic deliberate actions during the various stages of arrest and detention within its jurisdiction. The hearings will allow the petitioners as well as others who have experienced such incidents to participate in the hearings and gather information, according to OTJ. Additionally, the office will consider compliance with domestic laws, rules, and regulations to guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms as enshrined in the constitution and to prohibit acts of torture, as well as international treaties to which the country is a party. OTJ has asked those who wish to testify at the hearings to share their details before November 23
OTJ was established following the ratification of the Transitional Justice Act on December 17, 2020. It functions as an autonomous legal identity vested with powers to communicate, file a lawsuit or receive court charges under the Transitional Justice Act. The act sanctions investigations into past wrongdoings by state authorities, heads of agencies, or individuals in power, which resulted in human rights violations. So far, 111 cases have been investigated by the office.