New Anti-Gang Law to Impose Severe Penalties Amid Crackdown

The government proposed a new law to the Parliament on Thursday on gang related and other dangerous crimes, aiming to empower authorities amid a major crackdown on local gangs.

The bill sponsored by Parliamentarian Musthafa Hussain has included severe penalties for gang related and organised crime, affording more powers to relevant authorities to clampdown local gangs operating throughout the country.

The proposed new law also aims to rehabilitate those involved in such crimes and assist in their return to society, along with establishing special mechanisms to monitor such individuals.

According to the bill, founding and operating an organised criminal group has been listed as a criminal offence, which carries a 25-year prison sentence and a fine between USD13,000 and USD650,000. Aiding and abetting an organised criminal group will carry an 18-year prison sentence along with a fine between USD6,500 and USD325,000.

Recruitment to an organised criminal group has also been specified as a criminal offence with a 20-year prison sentence and a fine between USD6,500 and USD455,000. Child recruitment has been declared a more serious offence, which carries a 25-year prison sentence and a fine between USD13,000 and USD650,000.

Aiding and abetting recruitment and intimidating witnesses are also criminal offences under the proposed new law.

The bill also carries a fine between USD6,500 and USD6.5 million for legal entities for any involvement in organised crime.

The Prosecutor General can pursue seizure of ill-gotten assets and funds of organised criminal groups and individuals associated with such groups through the courts, according to the bill.

The proposed new law, provides for severe penalties for murder, assault, kidnapping, intimidation and serious physical injury resulting in the use of a weapon with the death penalty reserved for murder while those who commit other crimes face large fines and long prison sentences.

The bill would give law enforcement authorities the power to stop, search and arrest a person without a warrant if suspected of committing serious organised crimes, crimes using weapons, possession of weapons, manufacture, and importation of such weapons. In addition, the bill will give enforcement agencies wide-ranging powers to prevent such crimes.