Dh. Vaanee Designated for Juvenile Rehabilitation

Vaanee in Dhaalu Atoll will be repurposed as “Hope Island” for the government’s new juvenile rehabilitation initiatives, according to Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan.

Minister Ihusaan told Mihaaru that Vaanee — currently used for police operational training — will be designated to rehabilitate young offenders.

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The island has the capacity to accommodate 400 juveniles and will offer mandatory religious rituals, physical exercise sessions, and skill development programmes. Additionally, the island will facilitate family visits, allowing up to 60 families to visit their children on weekends.

The government is also lowering the age of legal culpability from 15 to 12 years. Minister Ihusaan emphasised that children aged 12 to 15 will not be detained in jails. Instead, the revised age limit is intended to empower state institutions to enforce mandatory rehabilitation and assist in removing young individuals from criminal environments.