Preparations are underway to begin implementing the death penalty in the Maldives, Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan announced yesterday.

At a press conference at the President's Office, Ihusan said the sentence can currently be imposed on two death row inmates as their appeals have concluded.

He added that the government is working on the laws and regulations to implement the death penalty and to finalize a location and train officers.

"Then there is the implementation phase. So we have to prepare for it, we have to finalize the rules and regulations and the place and train people. I can assure you that we will do it in the Maldives as we announced earlier," Ihusan told reporters.

The minister earlier said the death penalty would be executed within the framework of law and order and by following the procedures.

“We will look at what needs to be done and do what needs to be done and implement the death penalty within the laws and rules,” Ihusan said.

He also told the UN Human Rights Committee that the death penalty cannot be abolished in Maldives because it would be unconstitutional.

In response to a question by a UN expert at a review session in Geneva, Ihusan said strict procedures are followed when sentencing a person to death in the Maldives. He added that a person will be sentenced to death if he is convicted beyond a reasonable doubt.

"The constitution of the Maldives states that Islam is the basis of all the laws in the country. There are only a few circumstances where a person can be sentenced to death under Maldivian laws. These laws have the approval of the people. Abolishing the death penalty will be in contravention of the constitution," he said.

The death penalty has not been implemented in the Maldives since 1953 when Hakeem Didi was convicted of sorcery.