Criminal Procedure Act takes effect on July 2
Criminal Procedure Act was passed by parliament in April 2016, and was ratified by President Yameen on May 2, 2016
Criminal Court
A year after ratification, the long-awaited Criminal Procedure Act has come in to effect on Sunday.
Proposed by MP for Thulusdhoo constituency Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim, the Bill was passed by parliament in April 2016, with 10 amendments by the parliament Committee on National Security Services. President Abdulla Yameen ratified the Criminal Procedure Act on May 2, 2016.
While the Act was set to come into effect on January 7, MP for South-Maafannu constituency Abdulla Rifau had in November submitted an amendment, seeking to delay the enforcement of the Act by six months, which was passed by parliament on November 21.
The amendment submitted by MP Rifau noted that the delay was necessary to train the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors on the new law, as it will bring a number of changes to the judiciary system. The Attorney General's Office had conducted the said training programs during the period.
The Criminal Procedure Act allows "investigative procedure regarding those accused to be carried out effectively and efficiently with less hindrances to the rights of the person".
"Additionally, it will encourage defence of those accused, in courts of law, with lesser hindrances to the rights of the accused as assist make investigation cases fairer," reads a statement by the President's Office on May 2, 2016.
While the ruling coalition had, in June this year, submitted a number of amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, it was withdrawn after a clash between the ruling coalition parliamentarians.
