CONFIDENTIAL
MALDIVES
Report by South Asian Department
Right No.
Rating suggested by Department
(i) The Constitution (Article 7) states
that "No person shall be penalised except when convicted by Shariath or by law". Banishment to a distant is- land, and ancient practice, is the more usual punishment. Article 8 of the Constitution states that "No person shall be banished except as stipulated in the Law", but banish- ment without trial for an indefinite period is not uncommon particularly in political cases.
(ii)
The
There have been overseas press reports of corporal punishment and police brutality in recent years; but there is no hard evidence of torture. Security Organisation is, however, powerful and at least one death has been reported following detention.
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(iii)
Article 5 of the Constitution states that: "Maldivians are equal before the Law". We have no evidence of slavery.
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(iv)
(v)
Articles 13 and 14 of the Constitution guarantee "Freedom of speech and thought, orally and in writing" and "Freedom of acquiring knowledge and im- parting it to others" within the Law: but press and radio are Government- controlled. In practice Maldivians seem to avoid discussing internal affairs.
The Constitution states in Article 8 that "The Administration of justice and Shariath shall be conducted by a body appointed by the President" Article 69 says that "No law shall be applied with retrospective effect unless it is specifi- cally so provided in that law". The Attorney-General is the State's legal and judicial representative. Atoll chiefs, who are appointed by the Government, have powers of arrest subject to submitting a report.
CONFIDENTIAL
/(vi)
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