Human Rights Commission of the Maldives

Summary

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) is a constitutional body established under Law No. 6/2006 (as amended by Laws 36/2014 and 19/2020) and anchored in Art. 213 of the 2008 Constitution. Its five members are appointed by the People's Majlis (Parliament) from a presidential nominee list for five-year renewable terms; members must come from human-rights-active backgrounds in law, religion, society, economics, or health, and no serving public officer may serve — yielding an all-civilian composition. The HRCM may summon witnesses, procure statements and documents, and require individuals not to depart during investigations; non-compliance can result in house arrest or dismissal from government employment. Since April 2008, and formally codified under the Anti-Torture Act (Law No. 13/2013), the HRCM operates a dedicated NPM unit (4 staff) with the power to conduct unannounced visits to all places of detention — police lock-ups, remand facilities, and Maldives Correctional Service prisons — and receives quarterly detention reports from the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology under Art. 17 of the Anti-Torture Act. The Commission investigates complaints of torture and other ill-treatment and refers findings, including any criminal elements, to the Prosecutor General; it has no binding discipline authority over police or corrections officers. Annual reports are published without executive prepublication review.