Capital punishment for drug trafficking with new amendment

The Ministry of Homeland and Security has drafted a new amendment to the Drug Act that would introduce capital punishment to convicts of drug trafficking more than 500 grams.

The bill proposes capital punishment for convicts smuggling more than 500 grams of drugs listed in the act’s annex 1. The annex contains prohibited drugs and substances that contain prohibited contents.

The Annex 2 consists of pharmaceutical drugs that can be abused as drugs or substances that contain similar contents and the Annex 3 consists of items to produce narcotics and chemicals.

According to the current act, convicts of drug trafficking face life imprisonment or a fine between MVR 100,000 and MVR 1 million.

Maldivian law allows capital punishment only for homicide convicts making this the first instance where death penalty is being introduced to drug trafficking.

Despite death penalty allowed in homicide convictions, Maldives has not implemented the punishment.