Parliament of Maldives has decided to amend parole act to allow release of deserving long-term prisoners on the promise of good behaviour, before the expiry of a sentence.
Addressing a parliament session, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed said many individuals imprisoned over minor charges deserve parole. Nasheed further said he has received 12 letters from families of prisoners, requesting a more lenient approach to serve their sentence. He also suggested Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Gender has found over 200 inmates who deserve parole but have not been released.
The speaker said with the various requests the parliament has received, it must act to find solutions for inmates seeking release under the Parole Act. Calling for necessary amendments to the act to release inmates under parole, Nasheed forwarded the case to Parliamentary Committee on Judiciary and the human rights committee.
A report by the human rights committee concluded the parole board does not do the imperative needful to provide prisoners with the option of parole.
Speaker Nasheed said the parliament has initiated to amend the bill as no authority has taken responsibility.