The Parliament has passed an amendment that would allow a legal revision to clear a path to issue death sentences to people caught smuggling drugs into the country.
The bill, which was moved by the MP for Gan Constituency Yoosuf Nashd on behalf of the government, proposes to impose severe penalties on drug smugglers, traffickers, and those who have become unjustly enriched.
The bill, which was revised in the Committee stage, passed with votes from 65 MPs. No MPs voted against the bill, which proposes to amend the Drugs Act.
According to the amendment, the death penalty is imposed in three serious cases. This includes importing cannabis in excess of 350 grams and dimorphine in excess of 250 grams.
In addition, the death penalty is imposed for importing more than 100 grams of drugs other than cannabis or dimorphine. It also states that the death penalty would be imposed for individuals who smuggle drugs when they enter the Maldives.
The amendment to the bill states that a drug smuggler can only be sentenced to death by a unanimous verdict of the Supreme Court bench.
In addition, a person sentenced to death or life imprisonment for smuggling drugs into the Maldives cannot always be pardoned or commuted.
