President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Sunday vowed to end a de facto moratorium on executions and re-introduce capital punishment in the archipelago in the next "two or three month."
Speaking during the ceremony to mark the 125th Anniversary of the country's military, the president said the infringement of the right to life was unacceptable and the harshest penalty must be dealt to such remorseless perpetrators.
The president admitted that the decision would invite intense international criticism but insisted that his government would remain steadfast in ensuring justice in the country.
Government since taking office in 2013, has been pushing to enforce the death penalty after ending the de facto moratorium that has been in place in the country for over six decades.
In June last year, capital punishment regulations were amended to allow for hanging in addition to lethal injections as methods of execution.
The government has already set-up an execution chamber in the country's main prison in Maafushi island and had announced plans for a second.
"We've already established an execution chamber. Home minister told me today that we will get the equipment necessary to carry out executions in the next two or three months. I honestly don't understand why a murderer shouldn't get the harshest punishment," president added.
There are currently around 20 people on on death row in the Maldives and president Yameen's comments come hours after a renowned blogger was brutally stabbed to death in the capital Male.
Yameen Rasheed was found stabbed to death in the stairwell of a house in the capital Male around 3:00 AM on Sunday. He was rushed to state run Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) where he was pronounced dead shortly after.
Police had reported a total of 14 stab wounds on the victim’s body. The motive for the attack still remains unclear.
According to a family member, the victim renowned for his strong views on politics and religious extremism through 'The Daily Panic' handle was stabbed multiple times in the neck and chest.
