The change to the Narcotics Act that implements the death penalty for significant drug trafficking has officially taken effect.

On 3 December last year, Parliament approved the amendment that allows capital punishment for those who import certain types and amounts of drugs into the Maldives. Three days later, on 6 December, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu signed the bill into law. The three-month implementation phase ended on Friday, activating the new provisions.

According to the amendment, the death penalty can be enacted if two criteria are satisfied:

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  The kind and volume of substances brought in, and

  
  

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  The act of transporting the drugs alongside the individual.

  
  

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  The criteria that permit capital punishment consist of:

  
  

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  Bringing in over 350 grams of cannabis

  
  

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  Bringing in over 250 grams of diamorphine (heroin)

  
  

Bringing in cannabis, diamorphine, or any item categorized under Schedule One of the Act in amounts surpassing the set limits.

The law indicates that execution of a death sentence can only occur with the complete agreement of all Supreme Court justices. If the judges cannot achieve consensus, the perpetrator may instead be subjected to life imprisonment and a fine ranging from MVR 100,000 to MVR 10 million.

Before, the maximum sentence under the Act was 25 years in prison. Under the new amendment, those serving life sentences will be ineligible for payroll release or a presidential pardon.

Though the amendment was ratified, President Muizzu stated in January that the government “does not intend to impose the death penalty in any situation” and hoped that no case would satisfy the requirements.