Attorney General's (AG) Office, on Thursday, explained the underlying message between Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath's remarks about the death penalty at the United Nation's (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) held at Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday.
Riffath's comments, which asserted that the death penalty can only be abolished from the Penal Code with amendments to laws and support of the general public, was met with harsh criticism from Islamic scholars highlighting that there is no need to consider public opinion for punishments that are fixed by the Qur'an.
AG Office addressed the backlash, explaining that the topic was brought up to address Maldives' policy on the issue, and indicate that it was unattainable to abolish capital punishment in the 100 percent Muslim country.
In the UPR discussion, government officials of Maldives had to address the progress made on the recommendations submitted by UN member countries in 2015. The AG Office noted that 25 countries suggested Maldives to stop sentencing criminals to capital punishment and scrap the death penalty from the law.
AG Office added that Maldives wanted to clarify its stance on rolling back the death penalty, since it was anticipated that UN member states would pose suggestions on the matter during the session.
Highlighting that the Maldivian people will not allow going against any tenets of Islam, AG Office's statement asserted that the policies on capital punishment will remain imprinted as they currently are in the constitution and the laws.
"However, prior to implementing the death penalty, Maldives will first prioritise establishing an unbiased, independent and trustworthy judicial system".
In the recent UPR session, approximately 29 countries called on Maldives to abolish capital punishment. Maldives has to take a position on the suggestion before December 14.
However, AG Office reiterated that Maldives will reject all recommendations that contradict its constitution and the tenets of Islam, as the country declared prior to beginning the UPR session.
Although the Penal Code lists capital punishment for some serious crimes, it has been a long time since it was implemented in the island nation.
Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's administration announced resuming the implementation of the death penalty but no convicts were subjected to the punishment within the five years of his tenure, despite the government establishing an execution chamber at Maafushi Prison for euthanisation.
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