Parliament accepts Transitional Justice Bill

The Parliament has accepted legislature submitted a prominent Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) lawmaker to establish and legally empower a new commission to investigate systematic human rights violations in Maldives over the past seven years.

North Maafannu MP Imthiyaz Fahmy (Inthi)’s legislature calls for formation of a new commission by the name of the Indhiqalee Adhaalath Commission – which translates to Transitional Justice Commission – which will be mandated to investigate systematic human rights violations in Maldives from January 1, 2012 to November 17, 2018.

The legislature was accepted into the Parliament with the vote of 42 lawmakers and sent to the Independent Institutions Committee for evaluation during the Parliament sitting this Tuesday afternoon.

The legislature says the commission will also be mandated to oversee the legal process to ensure justice for victims of human rights violations.

The commission will have five commissioners – who will be appointed by the President of Maldives. The commission must be established the moment the legislature is passed by the Parliament and ratified by the President.

“The commission which is formed under this Act reserves the authority to investigate cases of human rights violations and constitutional rights violations at the hands of the State, State institutions, or the head of any institution which took place within the period stated in this Act,” reads the legislature.

The legislature is also designed to legally empower the commission with the authority to seek assistance from other State institutions, the authority to summon and question persons of interest, the authority to request arrest warrants to summon uncooperative persons of interest for questioning.

The commission will also have the authority to request search warrants, and all authorities awarded to an investigative agency under the Criminal Procedure Code.

OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN

The legislature will also allow the establishment of an office of an ombudsman – which will have the authority to review investigations completed by the commission for mediation.

Those appointed to the ombudsman’s office need to have the same qualification as that of a judge at a superior court.

The authority to appoint members to the ombudsman’s office is also awarded to the President, and the office must be established the moment the legislature becomes law.