Whistleblower Protection Bill accepted into the Parliament

Whistleblower Protection Bill, a new piece of legislature designed to provide legal protection to employees who blow the whistle on acts of corruption, human rights violations and other wrongdoings has been accepted into the Parliament for consideration.

Whistleblower Protection Bill was submitted to the Parliament by North Galolhu Eva Abdulla.

It was accepted into the Parliament and sent to the Committee on Independent Institutions for evaluation this Monday afternoon with the majority vote of 42 parliamentarians.

The legislature will allow employees to release information on any failure to execute a legal responsibility, any act of corruption, any violation of human rights, any action with an adverse environmental impact, and any abuse of power by a State official without fear of persecution.

The legislature also dictates way in which such information can be released; via letter, fax, text message, phone call, and several other mediums.

The legislature will provide protection to any employee of a State official, any employee of a private business, and anyone with the legal right to be a petitioner or defendant under his/her name.

LEGAL PROTECTION TO WHISTLEBLOWERS

• Ban on dismissal, restriction of responsibilities, harm, coercion and harassment as retribution for releasing information.

• Protection of the identity of the whistleblower (including his/her name, address, age and family)
• No burden to prove the veracity of the information released

The legislature states any attempt to stop a whistleblower or threaten a whistleblower for releasing information as a criminal offense which will carry a prison sentence of 6 months to 5 years.