Supreme Court begins review of its first murder conviction

The apex court held a first hearing today for its review of Humam’s conviction, which was automatically appealed by the Prosecutor General’s office as new regulations require a final judgment from the highest court of appeal before the state can execute individuals found guilty of murder.

If the Supreme Court upholds Humam’s conviction, the 22-year-old would become the first Maldivian to be executed by the state in more than 60 years. The current administration in 2014 had overturned a six-decade moratorium on capital punishment in the Maldives.

The prosecution asked the Supreme Court to uphold Humam’s death sentence under the principle of qisas (retaliation in kind) in Sharia law, which gives the right to a murder victim’s family to demand the life of the convict.