President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has today approved prison reform measures, which includes a system where time spent in rehabilitation programmes could be counted as time served, leading to such individuals becoming eligible for sentence reductions and pardons.

The decision was reached following discussions held in yesterday’s Cabinet meeting on a paper submitted by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology.

Multiple reforms are to take place under this decision. This includes implementation of a new rehabilitation framework, modification of the system used to create employment opportunities for inmates both in and outside of prison, and integration of the framework with pardons, parole and sentence reduction.

In addition to this, community service initiatives are also to be broadened.

Relevant government authorities have now been assigned tasks in order to implement this within a set timeline.