Maldives has voted against the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution urging a global moratorium on the death penalty.
The resolution was passed during the UNGA meeting held last Friday with votes in favour from 133 countries. Maldives, along with 32 other countries, voted against, while 16 countries abstained.
Countries that voted against the resolution introduced by Mexico include the Maldives, the United States of America, India, China, Japan, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.
The resolution expressed deep concern over the continued use of the death penalty and a significant rise in reported executions in 2025, despite a global trend towards limiting capital punishment. While reaffirming the right of states to develop their own legal systems and determine penalties in line with international law, it called on all countries to establish a moratorium on executions with the ultimate aim of abolishing the death penalty and urged those that have already abolished it or enforced a moratorium to not reintroduce the practice.
The resolution also called for the progressive restriction of capital punishment, including by reducing the number of offences punishable by death and ending its mandatory imposition.
It urged countries not to impose the death penalty for crimes committed by individuals under the age of 18 years, including in cases where age cannot be conclusively determined. Additionally, it called for greater protections for vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, persons with mental or intellectual disabilities, and the elderly.
Meanwhile, the government has last week submitted a bill to parliament detailing procedures for the implementation of the death penalty, and proposing executions be enforced through hanging.
The first reading of the bill was held at last Monday's parliament sitting. The bill states that it aims to stipulate the method of enforcing the death penalty, set out robust policies for enforcement of death penalty, and lay out legal procedures that need to be fulfilled before the death penalty is enforced.
As per the bill, a death sentence must be enforced after all the requirements stipulated in the law is fulfilled. It states that the death penalty cannot be enforced until the Supreme Court hears the case and all avenues of appeal are exhausted, and a final verdict is confirmed.
Courts are also required to ensure that the defendant is guaranteed the right to legal representation in all stages of investigation and court proceedings. Should the court believe that this right was infringed upon, then the death penalty cannot be passed on the defendant, the bill states.
