President Dr Mohamed Muizzu met with a group of advocates representing individuals held in prolonged pre-trial detention.
During the meeting held at the President’s Office on Wednesday afternoon, the advocates acknowledged that the current Administration is making more concerted efforts than its predecessors to address the issue of extended detention without trial. They expressed hope that these efforts would lead to meaningful progress.
The advocates shared their perspectives on potential solutions, suggesting that individuals in prolonged detention could be given a second chance through monitored release mechanisms, such as electronic tagging or other supervised arrangements.
They also emphasised the urgent need to strengthen the judiciary’s administrative and infrastructural capacity to expedite case processing. Additionally, they raised concerns about detention conditions that undermine human dignity, stressing the importance of upholding Islamic principles of compassion, justice, and the rejection of cruelty.
In response, the President reaffirmed that the introduction of a comprehensive and structured bail system is a key Government policy. He stated that he would be meeting with the Prosecutor General and the Attorney General later to assess any operational barriers to implementing monitored release options such as tagging.
The President also noted that a new court complex is currently in development, with interim measures under consideration to accelerate hearings. He assured the group that prison conditions would be reviewed, and that the concerns raised would receive careful consideration.
The advocates presented the President with a document outlining proposed short-term measures, including statistics and case details related to prolonged pre-trial detention.