Abbas: Parents must be held liable for children’s crimes

The secretary to the president on legal affairs, Abbas Shareef, who has been nominated as the Maldives’ next prosecutor general, told the Judiciary Committee on Monday that he is in favor of introducing parental responsibility laws to hold parents legally liable for crimes committed by their children.

Abbas’ candidacy was approved by the committee following his interview on Monday afternoon. The vote was unanimous.

During his interview, Abbas named the increase in recruitment of and involvement of minors in crimes as one of his chief concerns.

He noted the difference in opinion between the government and former prosecutor general Hussain Shameem regarding how to best tackle the issue. The government had announced it plans to lower the age of criminal liability, while Shameem had opinioned that changes are required within the community to prevent juvenile delinquency. He said that juvenile delinquents require rehabilitation and not punishment.

“My opinion is slightly different. I agree with his stance that this can be addressed through societal changes. But this is a huge task, and one which will take a long time. But there are also disadvantages to lowering the age of criminal liability,” he said.

Abbas noted that in some countries, young offenders are prosecuted as adults based on the severity of the crime, their age, and other circumstances surrounding the case.

He noted that in Maldives, children are being increasingly recruited to commit crimes because of leniency in punishment of juvenile delinquents. He said that trying children as adults will therefore serve as a deterrent.

Abbas also suggested making legal reforms to hold parents or guardians legally liable for crimes committed by their children.

He noted that in the United States, parents of children involved in school shootings are held legally liable if the gun used is from them.

“Our legal system needs to be reformed to this level. There must be legal revisions so that parents and guardians are legally liable, and will be held legally liable by the state,” said Abbas.

Abbas believes the changes will reduce the recruitment of children for crimes.

Home Minister Ali Ihusan announced plans to lower the age of criminal liability from 15 to 12 years in April, after schoolboys were caught on video beating and bulling a peer in AA. Rasdhoo.

He also announced plans to develop an island to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents, called ‘Hope Island.’ He said that young offenders will be kept at the facility until they turn 18, after which they will be assessed and either be reintegrated back to society while being monitored, or enlisted to the police or military.

Abbas told the committee that the ‘Hope Island’ project could serve to rehabilitate young offenders and reduce recidivism.

The Parliament, which is in recess, is expected to take a floor vote on Abbas’ candidacy during an extraordinary sitting scheduled for Tuesday – the final hurdle to his appointment.