Eight International Organisations Urge Maldives to Abandon Death Penalty Proposal for Drug Crimes
Eight international human rights organisations, along with the Maldivian Democracy Network, have voiced concern over President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s recent statement proposing the death penalty for drug-related offences in the Maldives.
On 30 July, President Muizzu announced that he had instructed relevant authorities to explore the possibility of introducing the death penalty for individuals convicted of possessing or selling illegal substances. He made the remarks in reference to the Narcotics Control Bill, currently under review in Parliament.
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In a joint statement, the organisations — The Advocates for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, Capital Punishment Justice Project, Harm Reduction International, Human Rights Watch, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Maldivian Democracy Network, and World Coalition Against the Death Penalty — said they unconditionally oppose the death penalty in all cases. They warned that expanding its scope to cover drug trafficking would contravene international law and set the Maldives against regional and global trends towards abolition.
މަސްތުވާތަކެތީގެ ވަބާއިން ދިވެހި މުޖްތަމަޢު ސަލާމަތްކޮށް، މަސްތުވާތަކެތިން ދުރުހެލިވެފައިވާ ޖީލެއް ބިނާކުރުމަކީ މިސަރުކާރުގެ އެންމެ މުހިންމު އެއް އަމާޒު.
އެގޮތުން، މަޖިލީހަށް މިހާރު ހުށަހަޅާފައިވާ މަސްތުވާ ތަކެއްޗާބެހޭ ޤާނޫނަށް އިސްލާހުގެނައުމުގެ ބިލްގައި، މަސްތުވާތަކެތި…— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) July 30, 2025
“The Maldives is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the expansion of the scope of the death penalty for drug trafficking would result in new violations of international law and standards,” the statement read. It noted that 113 countries have fully abolished the death penalty, and several retentionist countries have ended their use for drug offences.
The organisations argued there is no conclusive evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than life imprisonment, citing UN research findings. They also stressed that punitive, “zero tolerance” approaches to drug control risk perpetuating human rights violations and urged the Government to adopt health and rights-based strategies addressing the root causes of drug-related crime, such as poverty, unemployment, and marginalisation.
They called on the Government to halt any moves to expand the death penalty, urged Parliament to reject such measures, and recommended the commutation of all existing death sentences. The statement also encouraged the Maldives to align itself with the global abolition trend and to lead the way at a regional level.
