Report: Soodh
The Attorney General’s Office recently made a public announcement that it would revisit cases decided in the recent past to identify loopholes through which pedophiles avoided harsh punishment. The announcement also mentioned that work is in progress to introduce procedures that would keep alleged child sex offenders out of the streets while under investigation, on trial and serving sentences. The same announcement also made it clear that a mechanism would be introduced to allow the public to check if their neighborhoods are safe from convicted pedophiles.
The August radio speech of the President also made specific mention of those who violate the integrity, privacy, honor and chastity of children and young persons. The president hinted at the work that is being carried out now by the agencies involved within the criminal justice system to ensure that harsh penalties are imposed upon those who predate upon children and young persons. The president confirmed that the mechanism that is being designed is to ensure that pedophiles are kept off streets during investigation, trial and sentence.
This endorsement from the president has clearly put the matter high on the government’s agenda in making criminal justice system more effective against child molesters and sex offenders.
The three prong approach that has been initiated for the task has bound the Attorney General’s Office, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Gender and Family by a community of purpose. Work is now underway to amend relevant rules and procedures with almost immediate effect. There is an overwhelming unity to arrive at a meaningful and effective package that could send the alarm bells ringing for anyone with a lewd intention towards children and young persons.
It is expected that as early as next week the first few amendments would come into being to protect children from their predators.
A quick look at the issues involved suggests resolution of several matters on several fronts:
1. Could children and young persons ever be considered as being capable of having consenting sexual activity; if not, what should be the age below which children should be considered as totally impossible of giving any consent to sex?
2. What would be the age where children could be considered as impossible of giving any consent unless hard evidence is shown to prove otherwise?
3. What should constitute consent?
4. What kind of evidence should be allowed in such trials?
5. Should the standard of evidence be the same as those admissible in other criminal cases?
6. Should standards of admitting evidence be relaxed to allow hearsay evidence as well?
7. What would happen if relatives are involved in sexually abusing a child or young person?
8. What would happen if repeat offenders are involved in such abusive conduct?
9. Should positions of trust be allowed to be exploited for child molestation without inviting any aggravated punishment?
10. What should be the actual punishment for sex offenders and child molesters; should they be put behind bars, or exiled to another community or kept under house detention?
11. Should any name and shame follow in these cases?
12. Can their details be made public for parents and guardians to keep their children off the sight of pedophiles?
These are serious issues professionals at the Attorney General’s Office, Justice Ministry, and Gender Ministry are looking at right now as a team to complete a mechanism that is effective against pedophiles; protects children; punishes offenders; and ensures communities that their neighborhoods are clean of pedophiles.I for one, will remain firm in my commitment, to bring about a legal environment that is responsive to questions those innocent children are asking us all.
VELIDHOO NEWS
velidhoocommunity@gmail.com
Courtesy: Mohamed Nasheed's Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment