Maldives Correctional Service has said that pepper spray was used last night after a group of inmates at the Maafushi Prison refused to enter their cells.

A statement issued by the Correctional Service today said that following the riot in the prison on 20 June, people in remand and inmates serving sentences repeatedly attacked prison officers and the inmates refused to obey the prison rules and refused to enter their cells at the allocated time and disregarded repeated warnings.

The Correctional Service said that with the situation in the prison escalating, they stepped in last night and used the force with the law to move the inmates to their cells and the inmates were calmed down after the operation.

The statement said that the entire operation from the beginning to end was captured on video.