News Desk
The Maldives government announced plans on Tuesday to require juveniles who have undergone rehabilitation to serve five years in the military or police force upon turning 18.
The proposal from Ali Ihusan, the minister of homeland security and technology, is part of a broader initiative by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration to get tougher on juvenile offenders as young as 12 years old.
Speaking at “Ahaa” public forum to interact on policies with the public, Mr. Ihusan said the government intended to amend laws to lower the age of criminal culpability to 12 from 15, enabling authorities to place more young offenders into a rehabilitation program on a dedicated island.
There, according to the minister, the juveniles would receive education, religious instruction and vocational training until adulthood, while being allowed family visits. But once they turn 18, he said, a stint of compulsory service in the Maldives Police Service or National Defense Force would await.
“Our objective is to revise the criminal culpability threshold to encompass individuals aged 12 and above, channeling these juveniles into rehabilitation,” Mr. Ihusan told the forum.
The proposal comes after a high-profile case of bullying on the island of Rasdhoo last month, where a group of teenagers ages 13 and 14 verbally and physically abused a minor at a mosque during evening prayers. The minister has previously cited over 200 criminal cases in the Maldives involving offenders under 18.
“Upon reaching 18 years, our proposal entails their compulsory service in the military or police for a duration of five years, after which they may pursue their preferred vocation,” he said.
