The fifth amendment to the Penal Code has been ratified, with which hate crimes have been criminalized.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the amendment on Sunday, with which it came into immediate effect. It has also been publicized in the government gazette.

The People’s Majlis passed the hate crimes bill on November 16, by the unanimous votes of 50 parliamentarians.

Sponsored by MP for Thulhaadhoo constituency Hisaan Hussain, the bill was reviewed and amended by the Judiciary Committee.

Once ratified, the bill, which includes to add Section 124 to the Penal Code, criminalized accusing a person as against Islam, based on their behavior or expressed opinions which do not contradict with the opinions of scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah Wal Jamaah.

Further, it also criminalized accusing or describing a Muslim as a non-believer in public, unless the person has publicly declared opinions deemed Kufr or has proclaimed to be a non-Muslim in public.

Committing acts of violence and inciting violence against individuals have also been declared offenses with this amendment.

The hate crimes bill goes on to state that acts of violence and inciting violence towards any individual based on their race, birth country, religious beliefs or political opinions are criminal offenses.

However, it stipulates that there are no misgivings on delivering the verdicts of the Holy Quran and Sunnah of Islam. Another amendment added to the bill removes hindrances from declaring what is Sunnah and what is stated in the Holy Quran in connection to various matters.

Two more clauses have been added to the Penal Code under the amendment, following Section 617(a) 4; Section 617(a)5 of the amendment which criminalizes disrespectful and negative remarks against Islam is also included in the bill and so is spreading false information regarding the religion, Quran and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).