Official Statement on the Repeal of Section 76B of the Mauritian Criminal Code
Issued by: Maldivians for Chagos – The Maldives-Chagos Sovereignty Initiative
Date: 5 November 2025
Location: Malé, Republic of Maldives
The Pen for Rights – Maldivians for Chagos initiative notes with approval the recent decision of the National Assembly of Mauritius to repeal Section 76B of its Criminal Code. That provision had made it an offence to publish or distribute any map, coin, or document that challenged Mauritius’s territorial claims. Its removal on 28 October 2025, confirmed in a public notice by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, is a welcome correction. It affirms that debates about territory and decolonisation belong in the realm of evidence and international law, not in the reach of criminal prosecution.
For the Maldives, this repeal opens the way for genuine academic and diplomatic engagement on the question of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. The region’s history, language, and navigation routes tie it closely to Maldivian heritage, and those links deserve open examination without fear or political pressure. We believe the repeal creates a fairer atmosphere for the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation to review the historical record and consider the rights of all communities involved. Maldivians for Chagos remains committed to transparency, cooperation, and the pursuit of historical justice through lawful international processes.
Contact:
Secretariat, Maldivians for Chagos
Email: admin@maldivians4chagos.com
Website: www.maldivians4chagos.com
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