Adhaalath Party has decided to hold discussions with the government over the concerns relating to the recently proposed bill on acts of hatred.
The government had proposed an amendment bill to the Penal Code of the Maldives, to specify certain acts of hatred as criminal offences. As such, the bill states acts such as calling a Muslim an apostate / infidel and promoting violence against an individual over a perceived lack of religious faith are criminal offences.
Following a meeting of Adhaalath Party’s discussion council, the party stated it has some concerns over the bill, such as the effect it could have on the social and religious harmony. The party said discussions will be held with the government to share these concerns and work on a solution.
In addition to the bill criminalising acts of hatred, the government has also decided to bring another amendment to the Penal Code, to criminalise mocking Islam and expressing anti-Islamic views. The Attorney General’s Office said the new amendment bill aims to describe and list down “anti-Islamic acts”, which are criminalised under Article 611 of the Penal Code.