The President Ratifies Fourth Amendment Brought To the Criminal Procedure Art

On Thursday, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the fourth amendment bill brought to the Criminal Procedure Act (Law No. 12/2016). The bill was ratified following the passing of the bill at the parliament during the 33^rd sitting of its third session this year on November 7^th, 2022.

Revisions were brought to the procedures governing court warrants for imposing travel restrictions on suspects. Moreover, the fourth amendment bill also stipulates revisions on the duration given to the Prosecutor General’s Office to file charges as well as the policies governing plea agreements.

In addition to these revisions, the fourth amendment includes provisions governing witness protection and procedures for obtaining the testimony of witnesses under protection. In this regard, the new amendment dictates that the state must request witness protection if a witness’s safety and security are jeopardized. After President Solih ratified the bill, the amendment was published in the Government Gazette.