Parliament approves changes to anti-terrorism law

The People’s Majlis on Monday, approved the amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act.

52 MPs voted in favor of the amendments which will accord greater authorities to the police, at the third extraordinary sitting of the 19th parliament.

The amendments proposed by South-Henveiru constituency MP Hussain Shameem, on behalf of the government, allows police “to arrest terror suspects without a warrant, conduct invasive body searches, deny private consultations with legal counsel and detain suspects for 48 hours before taking them before a judge.”

It was sent to the committee on national security and foreign relations, who brought seven changes to the proposed bill, including to the clause stating that suspects can be held in custody for 48 hours before being presented at court; this was narrowed to 24 hours, as per the Criminal Procedure Act.

The committee also revised a clause that will prohibit detainees from contacting with an attorney; the new change states that this can be done for a period of seven days, and longer if authorities deem it necessary.

The bill also criminalizes supporting extremist ideologies, including political and religious extremism, and fear mongering within society, as well as any attempts to go to any war zones without authorization.

While there have been concerns over the proposed changes to the anti-terrorism law, especially the clause regarding granting powers to the police, committee chair and Maradhoo constituency MP Ibrahim Shareef said that the authorities accorded to police include a “monitoring mechanism.”

The amendments also specify hefty prison sentences for anyone convicted of terrorism.