Adhaalath Party has said it is “very concerned” over the decision made by the President to offer a second chance to more than 400 convicted criminals imprisoned in Maafushi Jail.
‘’Releasing convicted criminals without involving the Parole Board and solely by the decision of the President will disrupt the peace of our society and cause disorder,’’ said the Adhaalath Party in a press statement.
The party said given that the actions of the government in releasing the criminals were “uncivilised” and “undemocratic”, and accused the government of seeking political gain from the release of the convicts.
‘’Offering such an immunity to the criminals, putting aside the rights of society to security is, the Adhaalath Party believes, a violation of rights,’’ the party said.
Most of the criminals to be offered a second chance were imprisoned for theft and robbery, drug abuse and other ‘serious’ criminal offences, the Adhaalath Party alleged.
‘’It is to be noted that while the government is releasing drug addicted criminals, there is no adequate mechanism to rehabilitate drug addicts in this country,’’ the party said, adding that the decision would not end up with a favorable result despite the government’s efforts to provide the former inmates shelter and job opportunities.
If the government wished to release inmates responsibly, the government should decrease its expenditure and spend money to upgrade the prisons, Adhaalath suggested.
‘’All citizens know that illegal drugs are available in the prisons, and that inmates are testing positive to drugs is evidence that they are not being adequately looked after inside the prison,’’ said the party.
Press Secretary for the President, Mohamed Zuhair, recently said the impending release of close to 400 convicts would not result in a spike in crime rates in Male’.
“Our statistics show that there will be nearly 400 convicted criminals that have been granted a second chance,” Zuhair said. “Out of the 119 people released on a previous occasion only two people had to be taken back to prison for committing an offence.”
Zuhair added that the inmates will be released on the condition that they will be returned to prison to complete the rest of their sentences if they commit any sort of offence in the next three years.
Apart from being hired for government jobs, the released inmates will be required to participate in rehabilitation programmes as well as national service programmes over the next two years.
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Whydid you not express concern when the criminals were not hanged? Beheaded? Stoned to death?
For sure, half of the criminals would not be living, if you had your way...
It is really funny; first the Mullahs complained that they are deprived of spreading Allah’s message to the citizens. Now these Mullahs are raving mad and preaching different versions of Islam and it seems that this is not enough for them!
Now these bloody Mullahs with Bedouin ideology wish to control the minds of Maldivians and rule us. My massage to Mullahs is that Maldives is neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan and religious freaks like you can never rule Maldives. So be happy that you are free to spread the words of Allah and stay away from politics which of cause you are unable to understand.
What's wrong with this adhaalath? Don't you know that in democracy religion it is legal to kill innocent people, rob the citizens and do what ever they want? So by Democracy they are not criminals. That's why our president wants to follow in the footsteps of other democratic countries like israel.
Maybe they want to fund for upgrading the prison with Palestinian and zakai money to provide more religious material and religious bullshit so they can convert the criminals into mullahs. More mullahs more perverts on the street. Then child molesters wont be send to jail rather banned to islands where no one will ever know that their neighbor intends in molesting their kids.
true.. parole board shall be involved..
@fayaz
So what U want - dictatorship? Criminals (humans) have been given second chance. Whats wrong with that?
@ Adhaalath Party
What Anni did should have been your initiative as Adhaalath is a religious party. Releasing prisoners before Ramadan is a humane gesture. If Adhaalath is really concerned about security of the society then please put behind bars guys like Sheikh Fareed and Ibrahim Fauzee and salaf (JUS) members.
The 'Mullah's you refer to here are not worthy of being called Mullahs. For 'Mullah' means 'teacher.'
Perhaps these idiots are unaware that Allah is Most Gracious and Most Merciful.
If a human being genuinely wishes to reform himself/herself and become a contributing member of society he should be helped along the path.
These idiots who claim to be religious scholars have yet to learn the fundamentals of our great religion.
Ali
Forgiveness is something sacred. In the end we will all only enter Paradise due to the perpetual forgiveness of God, because, our nature is corrupt as hell and the best efforts at personal reformation will never make us perfect.
Human and Divine Law is necessary, but it can never save our souls, it can only lead us to feel we depend on God's Mercy, Law has some role in helping social stability.
Something I learnt about forgiveness.
If the victims of crime in the Maldives cannot forgive the perpetrators of crime, they are still being victimised because, unforgiveness is itself an oppression of the soul, hate and darkness are painful. If one wants to be free from being a victim, they must forgive, and set their hearts free.
Forgiveness always involves some level of a sacrifice of self, whether it be a sacrifice of our own prid or a sacrifice of the power trip we often get through holding onto hate and unforgiveness. Though ultimately destructive to ourselves and to others, the energy of hate can be very empowering. It can empower us to get many things, power, sex, drugs, money, a self righteouss sense of pride, all these goals make it convenient for many not to forgive... Unforgiveness can be gainful, but it is pleasure which becomes fire. The loss incurred through inability to forgive is immeasurable.
Forgiveness is the essence of the Divine, as the commenters above have noted.
Though for a few particularly GIFTED individuals the sacrifice of forgiveness may involve re-putting themselves back into danger (like some famous stories of particularly gifted souls...) in most cases, there is nothing righteouss about putting oneself, or others, back into danger in the name of forgiveness. A sexual abuse victim, for example, can forgive, but that does not mean they should go back and live with the perpetrator. Though to free themselves, to set their own hearts free from the pain of hatred, forgiveness is an essential step in the path of healing.
Whilst forgiveness is essential, PERHAPS, and I am only wondering, the practical response to forgiveness should be that the perpetrators go through rehab or counselling before they are released. The type of practical response Maldivians make to forgiveness is a decision that you guys have to sort out, I mean, it seems that the intention of Anni, Zuhair is sacred, but the practical application of that is a decision for Maldivians to make, not for me to make.
The downward spiral of the Maldivian IQ is alarming.
Adalat has said nothing exceptionally wrong here. Their statement, as one that comes from an opposition party, is highly professional, technically sound and well-constructed to boot.