Debate begins for anti-piracy bill proposed by Gasim

Parliament has commenced the debate on the anti-piracy bill, the bill governing the laws of piracy and its adjoined offences. The bill was presented today by Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim on behalf of the government.

The bill includes principles of curbing piracy and determining the penalties for piracy in Maldivian and international waters.

Presenting the bill, Gasim said that the government’s purpose of the bill was to address the raising concern of piracy in the Indian Ocean as it has also had its adverse effects on the Maldives. He said that the bill was proposed to fill lack of legislation regarding how to deal with pirates and piracy.

“As there is no legal framework to deal with such people, and as there is no legislation criminalizing piracy, the purpose of this bill is to determine that such acts are crimes in the Maldives, and to establish a system to penalize such offences,” said Gasim.

The bill states the penalty for being convicted of piracy as a 25 year long prison sentence. If a person is killed during an act of piracy, the bill states that the perpetrator shall be sentenced to 30 years in prison in addition to the penalty prescribed by Islamic Sharia.

Dhaandhoo MP Mohamed Riyaz and other member of parliament criticized the clause, saying that it does not make sense that a person can be subjected to the sentence prescribed by Islamic Sharia for the murder and then be put in prison afterwards, as the penalty for murder in Islamic Sharia is execution.

“Islamic Sharia states that the penalty for killing a person is the death penalty. If so, should we execute him, prepare him for his funeral, and then take him to prison and bury him there? This does not make sense. The constitution states it too, that a single crime cannot be punished twice,” Dhaandhoo MP Mohamed Riyaz said.

The bill also states that if a person is injured during an act of piracy, the perpetrator shall face a prison sentence of 15 days and that a person who assists to plan and execute an act of piracy is liable to a prison sentence of 10 years.

The bill also states that the penalty for armed robbery as a 30 year prison sentence. If a man is killed during an armed robber, the bill states that the man shall be given the sentence prescribed by Islamic Sharia and put in prison for a period of 30 years. The bill also states that if a person is injured during an armed robber, the perpetrator will face a prison sentence of 25 year.

The bill states that the Maldives military and the Maldives police will have the power to stop an act of piracy, arrest and seize the vessels that take part in an act of piracy.

The bill also states that if the authorities are unable to produce a person arrested under the allegation of piracy in front of judge within 24 hours, the authorities may request a judge to extend the persons period of detention by contacting via audio of video link.

The bill states that if a person brings a vessel under his control by means of creating fear, it will then be considered as taking hostages. The bill also states that barring a vessel from moving from one location to another is also a crime, and states that the penalty for such a crime shall be a prison sentence of 15 years and that compensation maybe sought from a person that take hostage or damages a vessel.