The parliamentary Committee on National Security has approved two bills proposing amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.
Lobbied by Feydhoo MP Ibrahim Didi on behalf of the government, the bills seek to bring the most significant amendments to the two Codes ever since they came into effect.
The national security committee which holds the pro-government majority, reviewed and approved the bills last Monday without making further changes. They have been forwarded to the parliament floor for debate.
The amendments proposed to the Penal Code include additional criminal offences and aggravation of sentences, along with a new chapter on threats to national security. The bill also seeks to bar persons convicted of espionage, coup, treason and offences against the military, from serving in state positions.
The government had previously also sought to make amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code. However a the time, the state had withdrawn the bill after the majority of lawmakers raised concerns over the proposed amendments.
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