The Malawi Human Rights Commission is pushing for amendments to the Prison Act of 1956, with a key proposal being the implementation of a parole system that would allow prisoners to serve reduced sentences based on their good behavior.
The move, follows concerns among stakeholders regarding the progress and status of these proposed amendments within the current framework of the 1956 prison Act, which governs the management and regulation of prisons and the inmates within them.
In an interview with MIJ Online, Peter Chisi, Director of Civil and Political Rights for the Malawi Human Rights Commission, said the current practice relies solely on presidential pardons which has resulted in instances where individuals who have been released under these pardons have reoffended and returned to prison.
Chisi emphasized that the introduction of a parole system would involve the establishment of a parole board and a comprehensive assessment process to determine eligibility for parole.
Meanwhile, Victor Mhango, Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Education, and Advocacy, has underscored that the Prisons Act has long been deemed outdated by the courts as it lacks provisions for an efficient parole system, thereby hindering the establishment of a fair, transparent, and accountable legal mechanism for the release of inmates.
At present, the government says that it is actively involving stakeholders to expedite the review process of the Correctional Services Bill, aiming to facilitate its passage through Parliament.
The parole system gives offenders a chance to mend their ways by, after exhibiting positive behavior, giving them recourse to go back home, where they are monitored for any signs of wayward behavior.
