President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ratified the second amendment to the Former Presidents Protection and Benefits Act. Upon ratification, the Act has been published in the Government Gazette.
The amendment revokes Article 10, Subsection B of the Act and makes Article 10 Subsection A as Article 10 only. The amendment was approved with votes from 58 members present at the 73rd sitting of its third term.
The current law states all protection and privileges will be removed once a former president is convicted of a criminal charge. Parliamentarian Abdulla Shaheem Abdul Hakeem proposed an amendment to this law, stating privileges and protection to former presidents will be suspended until they complete serving any criminal sentences imposed on them, after which they would once again be eligible for the privileges and protection stated under the Act.
The parliament passed the amendment a few days after former President Abdulla Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison. He was found guilty of the money laundering charges pressed by the state against him.
According to the Privileges and Protection to Former Presidents Act, any former president who served one term in office will receive a monthly allowance of USD 3,245, while any former president who served two terms in office will receive a monthly allowance of USD 4,867. In addition, they will also receive allowances to cover their accommodation and office expenses.