The Government of the Maldives has decided to propose an amendment to the Penal Code to criminalise acts that damage foreign interests of the country.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) revealed the amendment bill to criminalise acts that harm foreign interests of the Maldives has been forwarded to the President’s Office for submission to the Parliament of the Maldives. The AGO said the purpose of the bill is to define acts that harm foreign interests of the country and to declare them as criminal offences in order to protect the foreign policy and interests of the country.
As per the bill, damaging a national flag or symbol of another country and vandalising or calling to damage an institution or building belonging to another country can be classified as criminal offences. Furthermore, harming or calling to harm someone based on their nationality can also be classified as criminal offences.
Earlier this year, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih issued a decree calling on relevant state authorities to stop the opposition’s “India Out” campaign activities. The decree was issued after the Parliamentary Committee on National Security Services concluded that the “India Out” campaign threatens to undermine national security by creating animosity against a neighbouring country.