Majlis passes amendment to law on ex-presidents' privileges
66 lawmakers voted to pass the bill
Former President Abdulla Yameen was convicted on money laundering last Thursday
The People’s Majlis has passed the bill on amendments to the Privileges and Protections for Former Presidents Act.
66 lawmakers voted to pass the bill proposed by Kanditheemu constituency Abdulla Shaheem Abdul Hakeem, which seeks to temporarily strip a former President or the First Spouse of their privileges and protections should they be convicted of a crime committed during the respective president's official term.
The amendment bill was forwarded to the parliament in August, and was sent to its committee on national security and foreign relations for further review.
The bill seeks to amend the provisions regarding stripping a former President or the First Spouse of their privileges and protections should they be convicted of a crime committed during the respective president's official term.
The privileges will only be stripped until the duration of a sentence.
The Privileges and Protections for Former Presidents Act stipulates a total monthly allowance of MVR 172,000 for a former president. This includes accommodation and office allowances.
While the majlis has approved the amendment to the law, former President Abdulla Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison last Thursday. Yameen, who served from 2013 to 2018, was found guilty of laundering USD through the state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) via a private company SoF, during his presidency.
The amendment also states that the provision “cannot be applied retroactively” and applies to presidents "who are convicted of a criminal offence only after the enactment of the legislation".
