President: Leniency towards child sex offenders ‘completely unacceptable’

Pardoning or showing leniency towards people arrested or convicted for sexual offenses against children is completely unacceptable, says President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

The president made the remark in a post on X on Saturday morning.

“Pardoning or showing leniency towards people arrested or convicted for sexual offenses against children and releasing them is completely unacceptable,” he wrote. “The government has been instructing the [Prosecutor General’s Office] PG to appeal such decisions as soon as possible.”

“Let us all work together to free the Maldivian community from the evil claws of such despicable individuals,” he added.

ކުޑަކުދިީންނަށް ޖިންސީ ގޯނާކުރިކަމުގެ ތުހުމަތުގައި ހައްޔަރުކޮށް، ނުވަތަ ޙުކުމް ކޮށްފައިވާ މީހުންނަށް މަޢާފުދިނުން، ނުވަތަ ލުއިދީ ދޫކޮށްލުމަކީ އެއްގޮތަކަށްވެސް ބަލައިގަނެވޭނޭ ކަމެއްނޫން. މިގޮތަށް ނިންމާ ނިންމުންތައް ލަސްނުކޮށް އިސްތިޢުނާފު ކުރުމަށް ސަރުކާރުން ޕީޖީ ގައި މިދަނީ…

— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) March 23, 2024

The remark comes amid increased public outrage over a decision by a court last week to release a suspected child sex offender, and amid rumors of child sex offenders being freed to gain votes for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

It also comes a day after the PGO announced its decision to sign a deal with a person arrested for possession of child porn.

The deal, which the PGO said was signed on November 15, 2023, saved the 32-year-old man from a potential jail term.

A spokesperson from the PGO told Sun on Friday that the office made the decision because there isn’t a separate charge for possession of child porn, and because the suspect showed remorse.

“There isn’t a separate charge for possession of child pornography in the law. Its just the uniform porn possession charge – which carries a prison sentence of one month and 24 days,” he said.

“A one-year reprimand agreement was made after confessed and showed remorse.”

In a press briefing on March 17, the police said they were investigating two cases based on information shared by foreign law enforcement agencies that monitor social media sites for child pornography regarding people based in Maldives who have downloaded pornographic content, including photos and videos, of children.

The two cases included that of the 32-year-old suspect.

According to the police, the victims in the cases appear as young as two years old.