HRCM calls to review the Anti-Terrorism Law

Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has called to review the Anti-Terrorism Law that was ratified by the President yesterday.

The press release issued by HRCM tonight says that many are noting that the basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution are being narrowed in the new Anti-Terrorism Law.

HRCM said that before the Anti-Terrorism bill was ratified and became a law, they sent their noteworthy points to the office of the Attorney General on 15 April. But the bill was passed without reviewing their findings and hence raised concerns.

“While this Commission notes the importance of an Anti-Terrorism Law, this Commission has sent document to the Attorney General’s Office about protecting human rights after reviewing the Constitution and the International Treaties that the Maldives is part of.” The HRCM Statement said.

HRCM said that passing such a bill and making it a law is a big challenge to the work done by HRCM in protecting the human rights of the Maldivian people.

The Anti-Terrorism bill presented at the Parliament by the MP for Ihavandhoo constituency, Mohamed Abdulla (Muhanma) representing the Government, says that sharing and circulating documents and papers of a terrorist group is also considered terrorism. And so selling, giving away and publicly displaying such documents so that people can read, hear or see and making it available on websites is also considered acts of terrorism.

The bill states prison sentences of 7 – 10 years as punishments for such crimes.

Sharing such information via TV, radio, or internet is also a crime, which carries a prison sentence of between ten and 15 years; as is encouraging or supporting terrorist agendas, which carries a prison sentence of between 17 and 20 years.

The Anti-Terrorism Law currently in effect with a total of six Articles was formed 25 years ago.