Maldives first country to codify Islamic Sharia: Deputy PG Shameem

Deputy Prosecutor General (PG) Hussain Shameem has said that Maldives was the first country to codify the Islamic Sharia.

He said this while speaking at an event at Traders Hotel today attended by officials of relevant institutions to discuss the new Penal Code.

“The main question is whether the Penal Code follows Islamic Sharia. If I’m not mistaken, this was the first effort by any country to codify Islamic Sharia,” said Shameem.

Deputy PG Shameem (left) with High Court Judges – Sun photo: Fayaz Moosa

Shameem said that the Maldives’ experience in relation to these efforts has been researched by Oman.

Speaking at the ceremony, Attorney General (AG) Mohamed Anil said that there is much work to be done prior to the implementation of the new Penal Code.

“…We have about one year to prepare for the implementation of the Penal Code. One year is a very short time, given the amount of work that needs to be done,” he said.

Anil said that things to be done include revising the Penal Code and related laws, and elucidated that that the Penal Code needs revision because since it was put together ten years ago, the country has gone through major constitutional changes.

Home Minister Umar Naseer (right) and Supreme Court Judge Areef – Sun photo: Fayaz Moosa

The event was also attended by Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz, Judges of Supreme Court and High Court, Home Minister Umar Naseer, and officials of United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Maldives Police Service, and Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).