Maldives seeks to criminalize genocide, acts threatening national economy

An amendment to the Penal Code was submitted to the Parliament on Monday, proposing to criminalize genocide and actions that pose a threat to the national economy.

The government-backed bill was submitted by ruling PNC’s South Maafannu MP Abdulla Rifau (Bochey).

The bill’s primary objective is to establish genocide as a criminal offence in accordance with the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, to which the Maldives is a signatory.

In addition, the proposed legislation seeks to establish penalties for such crimes and criminalize treason against the state and acts that threaten economic security. It also proposes tougher penalties for offences committed against the religion of Islam.

The bill proposes adding a new section titled ‘Genocide’ after Chapter 140 of the Penal Code. Under this section, five acts committed against a national, ethnic, racial or religious group would be classified as criminal offences:

• Killing members of a specific group
• Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of a specific group
• Deliberately inflicting conditions of life on a specific group that are calculated to bring about its physical destruction, in whole or in part
• Imposing measures intended to prevent births within a specific group
• Forcibly transferring children of a specific group to another group

The bill states that these acts must be carried out with the intent to destroy the protected group, either in whole or in part.

The proposed amendment also seeks to criminalize four categories of actions carried out with knowledge of, or reckless disregard for, the possibility that they could cause significant damage to the state’s economy. These include damaging critical infrastructure or computer systems connected to such infrastructure.

The proposed provisions will come into force after the bill is passed by Parliament, ratified by the President and published in the Government Gazette.

The bill was submitted following the signing of a commercial terms agreement between the Maldivian government and UAE-based Eagle Hills to develop the “Maldives Waterfront and Marina” project in Rasmalé. Some political figures and activists have raised concerns that the USD 20 billion project could enable Israeli citizens to purchase property in the area. However, Infrastructure Minister Dr. Abdulla Muthalib has assured that measures will be implemented to prevent Israeli citizens and affiliated companies from purchasing property under the Rasmalé project.