Defence Ministry Coordinator Mohamed Mushrif has resigned in protest of the government’s “brutality,” stating he fears to remain in the post.
In a letter addressed to President Abdulla Yameen – shared on social media – Mushrif contended that the prosecution of former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim was unfair and politically motivated.
“As I do not believe that the trial of former president was a fair trial free of undue influence, and as I believe that remaining in a post under this government is frightening, I intend to resign from my post,” he wrote.
Nasheed was found guilty of terrorism charges on Friday night (March 13) and sentenced to 13 years in jail over the military’s detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012.
Nazim is meanwhile accused of conspiring to attack President Abdulla Yameen, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb and Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed. The retired colonel was sacked from the cabinet after police allegedly discovered a pistol and three bullets in his apartment during a midnight raid on January 18.
“The police broke down the door of Nazim’s house in the middle of the night and scared his wife and children as if it was a terrorist attack,” Mushrif’s letter stated.
“And that is not all. A bogus charge was filed against Nasheed through the Prosecutor General and he was sentenced illegally.”
Mushrif had also served under former President Dr Mohamed Waheed and was appointed the defence ministry’s coordinator by President Yameen as a political appointee.
Mushrif also objected to the dismissal of Supreme Court Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain and former Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim last year.
The pair were dismissed by the pro-government majority in parliament through amendments, respectively, to the Judicature Act and Auditor General’s Act, which reduced the Supreme Court bench from seven to five justices and required the president to appoint a new auditor general.
Moreover, the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed – whose sex tapes with three prostitutes in a Sri Lankan hotel room were leaked online in 2013 – as chair of the Judicial Service Commission showed the president’s view of fairness and justice, Mushrif wrote.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Luthfy, human rights envoy of the Maldives government to the United Nations permanent mission to the Geneva, also resigned recently citing similar reasons.
Luthfy has since claimed to have knowledge of the government’s alleged close connection with criminal gangs in the country. He has also accused senior government officials of corruption.
“Having personally witnessed the leadership’s strong connections with violent criminals and gangs, long back I decided to distance myself,” Luthfy tweeted.
“HEP Yameen, sir, I kindly request you to return to the constitution and pursue peace for the general welfare of all without distinction,” read another tweet.
Related to this story:
Former President Nasheed found guilty of terrorism, sentenced to 13 years in prison
Fingerprint on confiscated pistol did not match Nazim’s, lawyers reveal
No hope for fair trial, says former defense minister’s family
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