Former President Mohamed Nasheed in a public speech on Tuesday challenged the Prosecutor General (PG) as to why “such a small charge” was being raised against him while he was being accused of “the much larger crime of having hijacked the entire criminal justice system of the Maldives”.
Following Nasheed’s first hearing in the case against him regarding the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed, the former president addressed a crowd of over 1500 supporters at the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s rally grounds in ‘Usfasgandu’ on Tuesday night.
Speaking at the rally, Nasheed stated that the Prosecutor General had filed a case against him under Article 81 of the Penal Code for the arrest of a judge.
Article 81 of the Penal Code states that it is a criminal offence for any employee of the state to use the constitutional powers to arrest vested on him to deliberately arrest a person who has not committed a crime. The article further details that the maximum penalty for this offence is either a jail sentence or banishment for a period of up to three years, or a fine of up to MVR 2000 (US$130).
“If, as the President of the Maldives, I arrested the Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, then it is not as small a crime as is stated in Article 81. The Prosecutor General’s only objective is to ensure that I cannot contest in the next presidential elections. To do so, he has identified an article which would provide just the required period of detention to cancel my candidacy,” Nasheed explained.
“In truth, if I have committed the crime he is accusing me of, then it is far more serious than he is currently saying. If such a crime has been committed, then the charges must be for having dismantled the whole criminal justice system.”
“That the PG is not charging me for that, and instead is sticking to such a small charge shows beyond any doubt that he is looking at the matter from a political perspective,” Nasheed alleged.
Nasheed said he was confident that his legal team would prove in court the challenges that the criminal justice system of the country was facing, the problems that the whole justice system of the Maldives was facing, the ensuing risks to national security, and that the steps taken by the President of the Maldives to solve the issue fell within the legislative framework of the country.
“What is the specific moment during the orchestration of the coup that all political actors were noting as most important? The moment when Abdulla Ghazi (Judge Abdulla Mohamed) was released. The coup d’etat that was brought in this country was made possible because our criminal justice system has failed,” said Nasheed.
Nasheed also said that government employees in the southern atolls had raised concerns of not having received their monthly salary.
“Hassan Thaajudeen declared a wage system in the 1600s. Since then, the state has never once failed to pay wages, until now. What we are seeing are the effects of the coup,” Nasheed said.
Regarding the actions of the police, Nasheed stated that there were many police officers who worked with the national interest in mind. He said that these officers were following the orders of their “political leaders” with reluctance.
“The Home Minister may have instructed (police) to shoot me in the head and bring me back. Home Minister may have asked them to bring me with my hands cuffed behind my back. The Home Minister may also have asked them to completely destroy Aslam’s house, or destroy Fares-Mathoda and bring me back. We do not at all doubt that the state has the means and manpower to do so. However, these past few days have made it even clearer to me that there are lots of police and soldiers who are aligned with the national spirit,” Nasheed stated.
Nasheed further stated that the MDP’s campaign trip to the southern atolls, the “Journey of Pledges” had been interrupted by the state with the use of force disproportionate to the situation.
“Some days we fall, but then we get back up even faster,” Nasheed said, stating that the campaign trip would resume on Wednesday morning.
After the first hearing of the case on Tuesday, the court has scheduled the next hearing to be held on November 4. Although Nasheed has been freed from police custody after Tuesday’s hearing, he is still effectively under island arrest.
“We have heard the manifesto of our political opponents. They vow only to detain President Nasheed for a long period of time. There is nothing for the benefit of the people,” Nasheed said.
“Our party’s and my own first pledge is that my name will be on the ballot paper,” Nasheed declared, prompting loud cheers from his supporters.
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I guess Anni is a angle and he will know what is in the mind of other people also.
During Anni time, there were no demonstration and there were no problems and Anni never had to gave any illegal orders to Police and MNDF.
Anni nerve used water cannon in the first time in the history of Maldives on peaceful demonstrators . I guess that was just to give a good shower to the crowd.
Anni never use any force against people who had gathered chandhanee magi junction corder and it was just polite way of doing things.
Anni does not even know how and are ware of having any tear gas or batters with Police and MNDF when he was in power.
Anni never authorized to purchase millions of dollars arms during his tenure.
Anni is so innocent and he does not know how to commit a crime and he should not be punished for anything he does.
Thanks mody!
That is just for the 7 lucky times you mention Anni on your mind on 10/10 at 11:11!
The more the merrier it will be.
Mody interesting list...why don't you list what Maumoon "didn't do" during his 30 years as President of this country and also why don't you list what is "not happening" in this country since the coup of 7th February? Oh of course you will come up with perfect justifications for all that Maumoon didn't do and what is not happening since the coup.
Yeah Mariyam. First of all Maumoon should be trialed.
Go Anni, hope he is my president again, what a guy 🙂
The only way these guys can beat him in an election is to do exactly what they're doing, charging him illegally in an illegal court with some horse crap about constitutional abuse of power. If he is to be charged with this then how many other of our dear beloved politicians should get charged? Thasmeen perhaps with all his outstanding millions of loan repayments, Nazim with all his millions of dollars worth of corruption and at the top of the chain of organised crime, Shahid with all his dirty deals in the JSC, Reeko, Saleem, Gasim, Yameen and his 800milion dollar oil deals oh and this guy Gayoom, I've heard he may have abused power for 30 years handing out torture, jailing the opposition. I could go on....
I'm awaiting some insightful thoughts from our learned biased friend @tsk tsk. What propaganda you wanna blow out your #sshole in response to this article then?
the president who personally ordered police and military to walk away from a hostile protest when everyone knew it would end in violent confrontation. what a guy
What a brave intelligent idea it was to let the demonstrators to solve their issue. If the riot police have listened to their superiors, we might have solved all issues of useless demonstration and it would have cleared the police image of brutality. Anni has done everything in professional manner if police was moved from the site people would have simply vanished in to thin air with fear of injury and any way Maldivian demonstrators whole objective is to play Tom and Jerry with the police.
why is anni campaigning? is it already time for campaign, is it legal? how is it that anni tries to defy the law for not showing at the court at 1st hearing. is anni is trying to get the sympathy of his follower? if anni is telling that the higher court is not legitimate, then is it another case of "libel". anni is telling he was hijacked while there is warrant & case file for him to be answered by him. is anni is abusing the democracy or just using the democracy.
the future of maldives is not in the politicians trying to destroy each of their reputation but in the people who will vote wisely for the benefit of the country not for the politicians & their friends & families.
according to the sayings:
"a good leader follows the laws that is governed"
"thief hates thief"
Mariyam! Mody...and the alarmed patriots...might be lacking the necessary education to understand your wise words! To judge from their language...
Anni through his behavior is demonstrating an age-old Maldivian mind-set.
That is; "upper middle-class Maldivians with connections to the former aristocracy are above the law".
This mind-set has sadly been reinforced by the actions of some international partners.
At home Anni openly flouts the law and makes loud declarations against a trial which so far has shown no sign of being unfair or prejudiced against him (how can it? Only the charges have been read out so far and Nasheed was given the chance to plead).
This is a pointless discussion now and one finds oneself completely disgusted with the behavior of politicians like Anni.
"“upper middle-class Maldivians with connections to the former aristocracy are above the law”."
That's what your dear friend and child abuser does. Don't confuse Ablho with Anni, ok?
Now tell me - how does a presidential order into investigating a child abuser suddenly becomes a crime?
Reeko Moosa for president