Maldives
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist de facto
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Capital crimes are: premeditated murder, attempted...
- News items in the archive
- 68
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Maldives is classified as Abolitionist de facto in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 68 news items on Maldives, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
MARCH 30, 2026MaldivesDEATH PENALTYABOLISH DEATH PENALTY FOR APOSTASY, HUMANISTS TELLS THE MALDIVES AT UN
At the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, Humanists UK called on the Maldivian government to protect the rights of non-religious people.
MARCH 23, 2026MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES: DEATH PENALTY IMPLEMENTATION BILL IN FINAL STAGES
President of the Maldives Dr Mohamed Muizzu said on March 23, 2026 that enforcing the death penalty is necessary to ensure justice
DECEMBER 24, 2023MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES’ PUSH TO REINSTATE DEATH PENALTY SPARKS UPROAR
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Maldives government to refrain from a planned move to reintroduce the death penalty in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation.
JUNE 7, 2022MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES TO CONTINUE MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY: HOME MINISTER
Home Minister Imran Abdulla has said that the Maldives still has a policy of continuing the moratorium on implementation the death penalty.
MARCH 1, 2022MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES: BANGLADESHI NATIONAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING BUSINESSMAN
Criminal Court on 27 February 2022 ordered the death sentence on Shah Alom Mia (Salim) over the death of Mahmood Abubakuru, a businessman from Dhangethi of Alif Dhaal atoll.
- JANUARY 1, 2020MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
MAY 22, 2019MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH IN MUHEETH'S MURDER TRIAL
Criminal Court on 20 May 2019 passed capital punishment on the two individuals convicted of murdering Abdul Muheeth (Bobby).
- JANUARY 9, 2019MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: SUPREME COURT QUASHES NAIFARU WOMAN’S DEATH SENTENCE
The Supreme Court of the Maldives on 7 January 2019 quashed a magistrate court verdict of death by stoning, passed against a woman for extramarital sex.
JANUARY 8, 2019MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES: NAIFARU COURT SENTENCES WOMAN IN ABSENTIA TO DEATH BY STONING
Naifaru magistrate court has sentenced a 25-year-old woman from Naifaru island to death by stoning, after she confessed to having extramarital sex, RaajjeMV reported on 7 January 2019.
- JANUARY 1, 2019MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
NOVEMBER 29, 2018MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES PLEDGES TO UPHOLD MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
A 65-year moratorium on the death penalty will be maintained by the new administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the foreign ministry announced on 27 November 2018.
- JANUARY 1, 2018MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
- AUGUST 7, 2017MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
Maldives ready for executions in September, president declares
7 August 2017: the Maldives will be ready to carry out the first executions in more than 60 years next month, President Abdulla Yameen declared amid growing international concern over the reintroduction of the death penalty.
APRIL 4, 2017MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES: TWO MEN CONVICTED OF 2011 MURDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The criminal court sentenced two men to death after handing down guilty verdicts over the murder of 25-year-old Ahmed Mirza Ibrahim in April 2011.
- JANUARY 1, 2017MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
NOVEMBER 29, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES: HIGH COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE ON TWO MINORS OVER BOBBY’S MURDER
The High Court upheld a death sentence by the Juvenile Court on two minors convicted of the murder of Abdul ‘Bobby’ Muheeth.
AUGUST 9, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTYUN RIGHTS CHIEF URGES MALDIVES NOT TO RESUME EXECUTIONS
The United Nations’ human rights chief is urging the Maldives to stick to a decades-long moratorium on
- JULY 25, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS THIRD DEATH SENTENCE
The Supreme Court upheld a third death sentence since the current administration lifted a six-decade moratorium on capital punishment in 2014.
JULY 12, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTYUN ORDERS MALDIVES TO DELAY IMPLEMENTING DEATH SENTENCE ON HUMAAM
United Nations has ordered Maldives to delay implementing death sentence on Humaam.
JULY 5, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES: FOREIGN MINISTER RESIGNS OVER DEATH PENALTY ROW WITH GOVT
Maldives foreign minister Dhunya Maumoon stepped down over what she described as a profound differences of opinion with the government’s bid to enforce the death penalty.
- JULY 5, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS SECOND DEATH SENTENCE
Amid growing international pressure against the reintroduction of the death penalty, the Supreme Court
- JUNE 24, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of a 22-year-old man convicted of killing a parliamentarian.
the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of a 22-year-old man convicted of killing a parliamentarian.
- MARCH 21, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: PROSECUTORS DEFEND DEATH SENTENCE ON MP MURDERER
Prosecutors defended the death sentence handed to Hussain Humam over the brutal murder of former
- JANUARY 1, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
OCTOBER 19, 2015MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVES: WOMAN'S STONING SENTENCE OVERTURNED
The Maldives' highest court has overturned an unprecedented sentence of death by stoning for a woman
- MAY 11, 2015MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: TWO 16-YEAR-OLD MURDER CONVICTS SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Juvenile Court sentenced two 16-year-old murder convicts to death.
- JANUARY 1, 2015MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
Premeditated murder, attempted assassination of the President...
- NOVEMBER 27, 2014MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
the Criminal Court has sentenced Mohamed Niyaz of Kaaf Thulusdhoo Redrose to death after he was
the Criminal Court has sentenced Mohamed Niyaz of Kaaf Thulusdhoo Redrose to death after he was
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2014MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CRITICS SLAMMED AFTER DEATH PENALTY REMARKS
the Maldives accused critics in the UN Human Rights Council of making statements “rooted on
APRIL 30, 2014MaldivesDEATH PENALTYMALDIVE: UN RIGHTS OFFICE CONDEMNS DEATH PENALTY REVIVAL
the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva voiced concern over moves to revive the death penalty in the