Government Expedites House Arrest Legislation to Address Prison Overcrowding

At its meeting on August 3, 2026, the Cabinet approved a proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to instruct the Legal Draftsman to promptly finalize a draft bill introducing house arrest as an alternative to remand and imprisonment.

The initiative follows a comprehensive review of earlier drafts—initially sanctioned under a June 23, 2025 Cabinet decision—which helped identify key provisions needed to establish legal frameworks for detaining eligible suspects and offenders under house arrest.

The completed legislation aims to offer a practical legal mechanism to mitigate severe overcrowding across the country’s penal system.