Impact of anti addiction efforts will be felt today: Minister

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan has said that the work being done by the state in cooperation to save Maldives from drug addiction will be seen today. 

Ihusaan said this via a Facebook post while sharing the news of the dismissal of Criminal Court Judge Hussain Faiz Rashad, who had released a drug lord from custody, being passed by Parliament, along with him sharing the news of Parliament passing the death penalty for those who bring smuggle drugs into Maldives.

As per the post, Ihusaan said that today, people will feel the entire state standing together in the same spirit, working to save Maldives from drug addiction.

"People will feel today that police, lawyers and judges are to be held accountable and will be held accountable," said Ihusaan.

Ihusaan also said that this big change was brought about by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu for Maldivian people and the police, with him thanking the President as well.

"The decision to implement the death sentence for drug traffickers is a very important decision," said Ihusaan.

Parliament passed the dismissal of Judge Faiz as the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) had made the submission to Parliament due to Judge Faiz having acted against the Constitution being proven, regarding the sentence of someone who had been taken under police custody.

As per the letter sent to the Parliament by the JSC, the commission investigated the case regarding Judge Faiz's actions regarding the release of alleged drug lord Ali Anwar Mohamed.

Amendments to the Drugs Act were also passed by the Parliament today in line with the situation where the presiding Supreme Court Judge agrees to sentence those who are proven to traffick drugs into Maldives or conduct such business to death.

The bill states that if two conditions are met, they are to be sentenced to death. The conditions are ascertaining the type of drug and the amount of the drug reaching a certain weight, and whether they were the ones who smuggled the drugs into the nation.

Under the Drugs Act, the life sentence of 25 years was annulled, with the bill stating an amendment that they are to be kept in prison until their demise.

As the Act currently stands, a life sentence equals to 25 years in prison. However, with the amendments brought about by the committee, the individual is to spend their life in prison without parole or pardon.

The bill also states that the crimes that revolve around life sentences are crimes that cannot be pardoned nor commuted. And so, under the Drugs Act, once ratified, no one who is sentenced to life in prison may receive concessions nor be pardoned.