Government's newly proposed amendment to Maldives Penal Code cites inclusion of damage to the country's economy as a criminal offense.
Feydhoo MP Ibrahim Didi had proposed the said amendment on government's behalf. He has proposed the amendment to article number 611 on local penal code.
According to the amendment three specific acts against economic 'destruction' have been criminalized. These include destruction of government property including its assets or services, destruction on infrastructural equipment as well as interrupting general services.
The offense is a level five category offense under the local penal code. State has also proposed to amend the degree of penalization on the said degree. Conventionally a level five offense subjects a nine months and 18 days jail sentence.
Government aims to increase the serve time to two whole years.
Current penal code's article 611 details acquisition of mercenaries. The article is expected for a complete swap to include the offense of economic destruction. Mercenary acquisition has been treated as a graver offense than currently stated by introducing a new chapter to the penal code specifying such.
The economic destruction clause to Maldives Penal Code is a calculated move by government to cease tourism boycott calls opposition aligned members had continued to reiterate across international media.
