GENEVA (25 November 2021) – The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will carry out an official visit to Maldives, from 29 November to 9 December 2021, to assess the country’s situation regarding deprivation of liberty. The delegation – comprising five members of the group, Elina Steinerte, Miriam Estrada-Castillo, Leigh Toomey, Mumba Malila and Priya Gopalan – will visit Male as well as other parts of the country. They will meet Government officials, civil society groups and other relevant stakeholders. The experts will also visit a variety of places where people are held, including prisons, police stations and institutions for juveniles, migrants and people with psychosocial disabilities, to gather first-hand information which will form part of their overall assessment. The Working Group will share their preliminary observations at a press conference on 9 December 2021 at 12.00 hours (TBC) at the Hotel Maagiri in Male. Access will be strictly limited to journalists. The Working Group will present its final report on the visit to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2022. ENDS