New government to uphold moratorium on death penalty

Ahmed Naseem, the minister at the President’s Office, has said the new government will uphold the 65-year moratorium on the death penalty.

Naseem said this in his statement to the United Nations’ Committee Against Torture on Tuesday in regards to the report submitted by the prior Maldives government on the implementation of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

In his statement, Minister Naseem made several observations and addressed an array of concerns that have been raised about gaps between the commitments of the Maldives under the Convention and their implementation in practice.

One of the concerns he raised was regarding the death penalty. Noting that a total of 18 individuals were sentenced to death in the Maldives, Minister Naseem said that the majority of these sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

Highlighting that there are only three prisoners currently on death row, with the last execution having taken place in 1957, Naseem said that the government will uphold the 65-year moratorium on the death penalty.

Naseem said that while various international institutions, governments, and civil society groups would like the Maldives to abolish the death penalty, the new government has not had enough time to examine this issue or take a position on it. However, he added that the government will review this question very carefully.

He also said that with respect to offenders on death row who were convicted as juveniles, the moratorium will apply and any penalties imposed on them will comply fully with Maldives’ obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This is in stark contrast to the previous administration which had attempted to bring back the death penalty and even made preparations at Maafushi Prison.

Those in the Maldives that oppose the death penalty highlight concerns on how the corruption in the country’s judiciary would affect its implementation.