The Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) has initiated a process to review and release certain pre-trial detainees under court-imposed conditions with electronic ankle monitoring, addressing concerns over prolonged and indefinite detention in the Maldives.
In a statement issued today, the PG Office announced that individuals currently in pre-trial detention may request conditional release under electronic monitoring. Applications must include justifications and can be submitted through the PG Office’s online portal (online.pgo.mv) or in person via the Electronic Monitoring System Relief Request Form, which is also available at correctional facilities.
The PG Office stated that each case will be assessed in collaboration with the Maldives Police Service and the Maldives Correctional Service to evaluate the potential risk to public safety. Upon review and favourable assessment, a formal request for detention review will be submitted to the courts. Eligible individuals will be released under Article 66(b)(6) of the Criminal Procedure Code, with conditions lasting up to 100 days. These conditions will be reassessed and reviewed every 100 days. Violations will prompt immediate court requests for re-detention.
The move comes after a high-level meeting last week between President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Home Minister Ali Ihsan, Attorney General Ahmed Usham, and PG Abbas Shareef, where they discussed reforms to end indefinite detentions — one of President Muizzu’s key campaign pledges. The President has said that, except for those accused of child sexual abuse and sexual assault, efforts will be made to provide conditional release options for suspects involved in crimes such as assault, terrorism, murder, drugs, and gang-related offences.