President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has declared that the Progressive Party of Maldives-led (PPM) coalition government will implement the death penalty despite international pressure.
Speaking at a campaign event for PPM MP Ahmed Mahloof in Male’ last night, President Yameen said his administration’s decision to enforce the death penalty was a “historic day” in the Maldives’ democracy.
“Enforcing the death penalty is not something I will do because I want to. This is a very difficult thing. This is not an easy thing to do for any president or [public] servant. But our society cannot bear the loss of a life as well as the opportunity for further loss of life as a result of not respecting [the value of a human life],” he said.
“For that reason, no matter how much I don’t want to do it or how difficult it is, I have to do this on behalf of the people as they have placed that trust in me.”
President Yameen revealed that the government had formulated regulations implementing capital punishment on Thursday, based on the advice of the cabinet.
The government decided to enforce the regulations to ensure the safety and security of the community, he said, adding that the public wished to see action taken to stop the “slaughter of innocent citizens.”
Moreover, a majority of the Maldivian people were in favour of introducing the death penalty despite opposition from international partners, Yameen contended.
He stressed that a convict would only be put to death in accordance with Islamic Shariah following due process through the courts.
At the final stage, he explained, the Supreme Court would decide whether capital punishment was warranted as qisas (retaliation).
Under the new regulations specifying procedures for enforcing the death penalty, President Yameen said that both the victim’s and the convict’s family would be consulted after the Supreme Court decision to see whether the former demanded the death penalty and not blood money as retaliation.
Following an order issued by Home Minister Umar Naseer in January to the Maldives Correctional Services for implementation of the death penalty through lethal injection, Amnesty International called upon the government to halt any plans to end the current moratorium on the death penalty.
The international human rights organisation described the possible reintroduction of capital punishment as a “retrograde step and a serious setback for human rights in the country”.
Meanwhile, President Yameen – on a state visit to Sri Lanka at the time of Naseer’s announcement – subsequently promised “broad discussions” on the issue in his cabinet.
Death sentences have traditionally been commuted to life sentences by presidential decree since the execution of Hakim Didi in 1954 for the crime of practising black magic.
The Maldives currently has 20 prisoners sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.
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Despite the skeptism majority of Maldivians are looking forward to seeing the implementation of death penalty in modern day Maldives. Foreign nations will stick their noses into this even more if this goes through, but i doubt Maldives will take a step back after the day comes.
Yesterday Indian supreme court had issue then verdict to implement the death penalty to those gang rapers by hanging them to death.
I dont understand why when it come to Maldives, we have no rights to exercise our laws .
When India and other countries does similar execution, it is all fine.
Moron is just trying to score some political goals. The man who will not hesitate to kill someone, why so much concern about the life of others?. Zombies in the fishermen’s Islands, who are already living dead, will hail the hero who boats with chest thumping to implement death to already dead nation. Wake up the nation of Fishes; you are already a dead nation. The president of dead is to order second death to crazy Zombies.
The Maldives never seem to care much about what developed countries advice and request. It shows how stubborn and ignorant many people are here. Most foreign countries have little reasons to care about the Maldives other than humanitarian reasons.
And it doesn't matter what the majority of the Maldivians want, this country is no longer a democracy. And even in a democracy you need wise people to lead the country who do not comply with every wish or demand of the majority, because the majority of people do not know what is best for the country and its people.
Why can’t this idiot stop threatening with death? This bastard doesn’t know the language of love , why can’t this mad man say I will console those miserable people who were so miserable that they were dropped to level of animals and will do my best to minimize the causes that such genetic plays to evolve such animalistic people in his tiny Fishermen’s Island. Buggar should play a father role for his tiny nation then a big politician in a complex ethnically divided country. Bugger think he is a smart guy, maybe he is smart for Zombies of Fishermen’s Island.
Savages crying for blood. This isn't going to solve anything but murder those that have been ill fated enough to have been caught up in the schemes for the corrupt. the Maldives government and judiciary is too corrupt to kill. Kaaku numerigen' thi ulhenee maa gadha fadha vegen?
Because of a greater need; just one case has to be implemented. The rest will die with some lame excuse!
Yeah, white Jangiyaa Ali Hameed's court will be passing the final sentence before the poor bastar**s are lethally injected and sent to hell.
Justice? wtf!
The dictator was removed from power and the idiot will never be able to get back to power in this country.
Idiot has sold our assets for peanuts and picketed millions dollars just within 3 years in power.
That idiot had gambled Judiciary and put his own puppets to politicize the judiciary system. that was the beginning of failure of our judiciary .
All these issues raised just because we elected an idiot to be our leader and we have learnt our mistake and we will never appoint him ever as the leader of this nation.
They execute people without a sentence,one like Evan Naseem now I have heard Kiruboo Rameez is missing from prison one of President Nasheed Body guard is been attached with a knife almost attempt to kill
He was given Delta force training "the name Delta force is ban by USA in Maldives.