[prisoner-rights] Maldives grants ICRC access to detainees

Press Release ICRC
6-10-2004

Geneva/New Delhi (ICRC) - On the 5th of October the International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the government of the Maldives signed a
memorandum of understanding granting the ICRC access to all persons
arrested and detained in the country.

The memorandum was signed after the ICRC had offered its services to the
Maldivian authorities.

Under the terms of the memorandum, the ICRC will begin visiting detainees
shortly.

The purpose of ICRC visits is to monitor the conditions of detention and
treatment of detainees with the aim of ensuring respect for their physical
and psychological integrity and, if necessary, to help restore contact
between detainees and their families. The ICRC's findings and reports are
submitted only to the authorities concerned.

ICRC visits are conducted in accordance with a set of standard procedures,
including private interviews with detainees of the ICRC's choice, repeated
visits and the registration of detainees. In 2003 ICRC delegates visited
close to 470,000 people held in over 1,900 places of detention in some 80
countries around the world.

For further information, please contact:
Caspar Landolt, ICRC New Delhi, tel. ++ 91 11 2435 4394
Marçal Izard, ICRC Colombo, tel. ++94 11 2 503 346
Eros Bosisio, ICRC Geneva, tel. +41 22 730 21 01