Male, Maldives – Maldives Correctional Service, announced their new regulations allowing for fully vaccinated family members to visit the prisons and meet the inmates.
The new regulations which took effect yesterday allow family members and lawyers who have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, to visit the prisons and meet the inmates 14 days after receiving the second dose.
those who want to visit the prison are required to submit a form. The new regulations necessitate a document of vaccination and a negative PCR test which has not exceeded 72 hours to be submitted with the form. In addition to this, if a person has recovered from Covid-19, a document proving that it has not been over 60 days since the person recovered must be submitted. Minors below 18 years of age should also submit a negative PCR test that has not exceeded 72 hours.
When visiting prisoners, 5 family members including children below 18 years of age are allowed at a time. Along with this, 3 lawyers are allowed at a time to meet the inmates.
Maldives Corrections advises people visiting prisons to strictly follow the guidelines of HPA. They state that action will be taken against violations such as cancellation of the scheduled meeting or banning the person from prison for several months.
Visiting prisons and meeting prisoners were previously stopped last month due to the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country. However, as the cases are now decreasing and the situation is improving, families in islands without Covid-19 are now allowed to visit the prisons.
