Amendments to Freedom of Assembly Act will be submitted: AG

Attorney General Ahmed Usham has announced that amendments to the Freedom of Assembly Act are on the government's legislative agenda, and that it will be submitted to Parliament very soon.

He stated this while answering questions posed by South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem during today's Parliament sitting.

Meekail asked AG Usham whether he is thinking of voiding the act as Usham had said in the past that the amendments that have been brought to the act are in violation of the Constitution.

The Freedom of Assembly Act was amended to lessen the number of places people could gather, during former President Abdulla Yameen's administration in 2016.

When former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration took office, MDP advocated to void the amendment, with it being submitted to the MDP supermajority parliament in 2018. However, there were differences in opinion after a while, with the amendment not being voided even when their term ended.

While answering a question posed by Ihavandhoo MP and PNC member Ahmed Naseer, the AG stated that the rights given by Chapter Two of the Constitution is not without its boundaries.

He expressed concern that even though freedom is given to gather at a certain place and the right to voice out opinions is given via the Constitution, there is simply no space to do so on such a scale in Maldives, much less Male'.

As per the AG, the rights of the people need to be taken into account when the freedom to assemble comes into play.

"The first truth that we need to believe is the rights given to us via Chapter Two of the Constitution are not without its boundaries. Every freedom granted to us via the Constitution has its own responsibilities," said the AG.

"That is why those rights are in Chapter Two of the Constitution under a law. If it is included in an act, then it will be narrowed."

The AG stated that the Freedom of Assembly Act was created under that policy.

The AG said that the amendments will take Maldives into account in a fitting manner and as determined by the government regarding where people can assemble.