Unpacking the Maldives’ Transitional Justice Act
New legislation must provide meaningful redress for survivors of past abuses.
In a surprise move on 17 December 2020, the Maldivian government ratified the Transitional Justice Act and instituted the Office of the Ombudsman for Transitional Justice (OOTJ). This is a historic step by the government to initiate long-overdue redress mechanisms for survivors of past abuses. Achieving this uphill task in the current political climate – not to mention as the global COVID-19 pandemic rages on – is strenuous even with a supermajority in Parliament. This law is an attempt at guaranteeing legal certainty to the cause of serving justice, in the form of reparations and closure for survivors who have been systematically wronged by state officials and institutions.