MALDIVES: BILL PROPOSING DEATH BY HANGING REJECTED

June 24, 2013: In Maldives, Parliament threw out the bill proposing to enforce the death penalty by hanging.
The bill proposed by Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed was rejected during parliament sitting after 26 MPs voted against with only 18 in favor.
Most members who spoke during the debate on the bill said a specific law is not even required to implement the death penalty as Islamic Sharia allows capital punishment.
The bill is designed to accuse the parliament of dragging its feet over implementing the death penalty, some MPs had alleged.
If the bill is passed with the current plight of the judicial system, many innocents will be put to death by the State, other MPs had alleged. (Sources: www.haveeru.com.mv, 24/06/2013)