Government prepares legal amendments to enforce death penalty

Sep 30, 2025, 12:36 PM
Parliament floor. -- Photo: People's Majlis

Parliament floor. -- Photo: People's Majlis

The government has decided to propose legal amendments in order to carry out capital punishment in the Maldives.

A senior official told Adhadhu that the government was working to amend laws to regulate the procedures up until execution.

"Implementing the death penalty under a regulation would not be the best option. Regulations are made at the ministry level. We are setting the procedures under a law once the death penalty is upheld by the Supreme Court," the official stated.

The official added that the government will start the process of implementing the death penalty when the amendments are approved and ratified by the President.

The Maldives has not carried out an execution since 1954. Last year, the government said four people were on death row after completing all judicial stages.

Former President Abdulla Yameen lifted the moratorium on death penalty when he was in office from 2013 to 2018. But no executions were carried out.

His successor, former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, changed the policy and decided against implementing the death penalty.

Last week, Yameen said he no longer supports implementing the death penalty because of a lack of confidence in the judiciary.

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