Office of the Attorney General: Public sex offender website will contain names

While people convicted with sexual offences will have the right to apply to the court for their information to be removed from the public sex offenders registry, their names will remain on the website if their challenge is unsuccessful.

A media release from the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Legal Affairs on Thursday responded to media reports which claimed that the public register of sex offenders would contain the locations, not the names of convicted sex offenders.

In their release, the ministry contended that the names of sex offenders would be included in the list unless exempted by a Court of Law.

The release further clarified that the specific addresses of sexual offenders will not be included on the public sex offender website, but will instead include their locality.

Citing the Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi's remarks during a Senate sitting on June 15, the release reiterated that the Police Commissioner will have a Public Sex Offenders website which will contain the general locality to prevent victimisation.

The website will not include the information of people who have already served their time or people who are still in prison.

The release noted that Al-Rawi did not agree to suggestions from the Opposition to have any member of the public (not just the alleged sex offender) to apply for being exempted from the register.