Author: Zaheena Rasheed

Majority of criminal trials cancelled for third day

Majority of criminal trials have been cancelled for the third day over legal issues caused by an ongoing leadership vacuum at the independent Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office.

State prosecutors ended a weeklong strike on Tuesday and started attending trials following a Supreme Court ruling, but the majority of hearings were cancelled for the third day today as courts remain unclear on how to interpret the ruling.

The strike came in response to acting PG Hussein Shameem’s resignation and brought the criminal justice system to a halt.

Prosecutors said they were in a “legal void” and expressed concern over lack of accountability in the absence of a PG or deputy PG.

However, the Supreme Court’s ruling on Monday ordered prosecutors to resume work “without any further excuse” claiming there was no legal basis for them evading responsibilities handed over by the prosecutor general or his deputy.

Subsequently, the Criminal Court on Tuesday said it would only proceed with cases if prosecutors had a document signed by the leadership authorising them to represent the state in a specific case.

However, local media said the courts were in disarray with only some judges following the policy.

In response, Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussein sent a letter to Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed stating that cases should proceed if prosecutors were authorised by the senior most official at the PG office to represent the state.

Faiz reminded the Criminal Court that its ruling said the criminal justice system must not come to a halt.

The Supreme Court in its ruling said the country was in a “state of necessity” where extra legal actions by the government could be deemed lawful.

However, critics have said the state of necessity argument could only be valid if either the executive and legislative branches were in a situation where they cannot carry out their constitutional duty and approve a new PG.

Former PG Ahmed Muizz resigned in November 2013 shortly before a vote of no confidence at the People’s Majlis.

The People’s Majlis rejected President Abdulla Yameen’s first choice – his nephew Maumoon Hameed – for the job in March.

Deputy PG Shameem headed the office for five months in the absence of a PG, but resigned on May 6 citing the Criminal Court’s “obstruction” of criminal justice.

In his resignation statement, Shameem highlighted the Criminal Court’s failure to prosecute foreigners involved in drug trafficking, delays in issuing rulings on drug related offenses, and “unreasonable obstacles” in filing cases at the court.

“These issues obstruct the proper functioning of the criminal justice system. I am deeply saddened to note the extreme delay on the part of those who have the power to address these issues,” he said.

Shameem called on the state to approve a new candidate immediately, but Yameen has said he will only submit a new nominee to the newly elected parliament, which is set to convene on May 28. The ruling coalition enjoys a healthy majority in the new Majlis.

The current Majlis is in recess, but Speaker Abdulla Shahid has said an extraordinary session could be scheduled on the request of one-third of sitting MPs.

Local media has today revealed that seven candidates have applied for the vacant PG’s position. The third call for applications were closed today at 3pm.

Former attorney general and President of the Bar Association Husnu Suood said the apex court’s ruling might allow the status quo to continue indefinitely.

“I am saddened the Supreme Court did not allocate a time period in which the president and parliament must appoint a new PG. The way to uphold the constitution, the real solution to this problem, is to appoint a new PG as soon as possible,” he said.

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Judicial watchdog considers probe into Drug Court Judge’s blog

The Judicial Services Commission (JSC) is considering a probe into a blog post by Drug Court Judge Mahaz Ali.

The judge’s May 8 blog post disagreed with the Attorney General’s (AG) advise on the ongoing leadership vacuum at the independent Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office.

JSC member Sheikh Shuaib Abdul Rahman said the commission had started discussions on whether to proceed with an investigation, but said a decision has not been made yet.

“I do not believe the commission should take up this matter. Article 41 of the Judges Act allows judges to engage in academic writing,” Shuaib said.

Clause 41 (a) of the Judges Act states judges may write essays and academic documents as long as they do not intend to politically benefit any party.

According to Shuaib, AG Mohamed Anil, who also sits on the JSC, had agreed with him on the matter.

In his legal opinion to President Abdulla Yameen, Anil last week said the senior most official at the PG office must takeover the PG’s constitutional obligations in the aftermath of acting PG Hussein Shameem’s resignation.

State prosecutors had stopped work at the time, bringing the criminal justice system to a halt.

Anil said prosecutors must resume work even in the absence of guidance by the PG, claiming the country was in a “state of necessity” where extra legal actions by the government could be deemed lawful.

However, Mahaz wrote that the state of necessity argument was valid only if there was no legal solution to the crisis, suggesting that there was no reason President Yameen could not propose a name for approval by the current People’s Majlis.

Yameen had said he would only submit a new nominee to the newly elected parliament, which is set to convene on May 28.

The current Majlis is in recess. It had rejected Yameen’s previous choice – his nephew Maumoon Hameed – for the position in March.

Mahaz said any criminal trials in the PG leadership’s absence is unconstitutional.

“A state of necessity is faced only when all legal avenues have been exhausted. In the current situation, the solution is to appoint a new prosecutor general. The current People’s Majlis is not in a situation where it cannot carry out its duties,” wrote the judge.

“The authority that must nominate a candidate [the President] is able to do so. Unless these two parties are in a state in which they cannot carry out their constitutional duties, a state of necessity will not be faced in the prosecutor general’s case.”

However, prosecutors were forced to end their strike on Tuesday following a Supreme Court ruling on the matter on Monday. The ruling upheld Anil’s state of necessity argument.

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Experts in the dark on effects of Meedhoo reef crack

The long-term effects of a crack in Dhaalu Atoll Meedhoo Island reef are unknown, experts have told Minivan News.

The crack – 5 inches wide running at least 13 meters deep – was discovered on the reef slope this week in the aftermath of a 20-hectare reclamation project. Reefs protect shorelines from storm surges and are hotspots for marine biodiversity.

Although cracks have previously been reported on Malé City and Thilafushi Island reefs, there have been no studies on their impacts, environmentalist and dive instructor Azim Musthag told Minivan News.

“This is concerning because we do not know what the long-term effects of cracks caused by industrial action are,” he said, noting that cracks sometimes do appear naturally in the reef.

The Ministry of Environment and Energy has said it is unclear if the crack was caused by reclamation work, and said a team from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is currently on the island to investigate how the crack was formed as well as its possible long-term effects.

Even if the crack was caused by reclamation, there might not be any cause for concern with work already completed, environmental expert at CDE Consulting Ahmed Shaig said. But, possible extreme negative effects could be the collapse of parts of the reef slope, he said.

A 2007 study of the cracks in the northeastern slope of the Malé reef projected that the island’s reef edge may retreat if eroded parts of the reef fall in.

The study by former deputy director at the Environmental Research Center Mahmood Riyaz said Malé City’s reef slope consists of hard coral rock in the first two- three meters called cap rock, and a layer of weakly cemented and highly erodible mixture of coral sand at between four and six meters.

The cracks had removed the hard cap layer, exposing the weakly cemented layer to further erosion, and “eroded parts are expected to fall into the atoll lagoon and cause further retreat of the reef edge,” the study said.

The Malé reef had cracked in areas under a lot of weight and subject to continuous vibration generating work such as construction, the study said.

Meedhoo Councillor Abdul Azeez said he too was unsure if the crack was caused by reclamation, but said the project had caused severe damage to the reef due to sedimentation.

Only 100 feet remained between the new shoreline and the reef edge, “so sedimentation is unavoidable,” Azeez said. But he welcomed the reclamation project saying “this is a dream come true after 22 years.”

Sedimentation had been caused by dredging company Royal Boskalis Westminster’s failure to build a barrier to prevent excess dredge from spilling on to the reef. Photos show healthy corals inundated by sand across large swathes of the reef.

Azim said the reef would take years before it began recovering and said it might be at further risk of sedimentation by sand spillover if the new shoreline is left unprotected.

The reclamation project has come under fire for using a method called the rainbow technique, which propels sand and salt through the air, covering houses and shoreline vegetation in dredge soil. The fine sand particles thrust into the air may cause respiratory issues, the Health Protection Agency has warned.

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Democracy survey reveals crisis of confidence in democratic institutions

The Maldives’ first survey on public attitudes towards democracy reveals a deep crisis of public confidence in key democratic institutions, local advocacy group Transparency Maldives has said.

Of a 1000 randomly selected individuals, 62 percent said they have no confidence in parliament, while 58 percent said they have no confidence in political parties. Respondents who reported no confidence in the local government and courts stand at 50 percent and 46 percent respectively

The ‘Democracy at Crossroads’ survey also revealed extraordinarily high levels of cynicism, with 92 percent stating they believe politicians lie to get elected and 86 percent saying the government does not care about ordinary people.

Cynicism has “corrosive effects on democratic life,” the report said, claiming it drives citizens away from active participation in the public sphere which in turn increases impunity and corruption.

Transparency Maldives’ Advocacy and Communications Manager Aiman Rasheed called on the state to take “extraordinary measures” to regain the trust of the public. Citizens too must step up efforts to hold public officials accountable, he said.

Despite bleak findings, the survey shows citizens are interested in politics and are relatively knowledgeable about politics and active in the life of their communities.

Crisis of confidence

Maldivians gave political leaders a low score with none rating better than average. Former President Mohamed Nasheed received the highest rating at 48 percent while incumbent President Abdulla Yameen received the worst at 26 percent.

Maldives’ 30-year autocratic ruler Maumoon Abdul Gayoom received an average rating of 42 percent while Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim received a rating of 41 percent.

The survey also found Maldivians had more confidence in the state’s authoritative institutions than its representative institutions.

Respondents were significantly more likely to report they had more confidence in the army (34 percent) and the police (32 percent) than in political parties (8 percent) or parliament (11 percent).

The report, however, noted “striking” divisions on opinions regarding the security forces.

Although one third of respondents said they have “a great deal of confidence” in the army and police, the same proportions report they have “no confidence at all” in the army (29%) and the police (32%).

Maldivians are troubled by the status quo, the survey found, with 50 percent saying they are dissatisfied with the way democracy works. Meanwhile, 1 in 5 said they were “not at all satisfied” with democracy in the country.

Further, a staggering 84 percent said power is concentrated in the hands of too few people.

The Maldivian public is more likely to have negative associations with the idea of democracy than in other transitional democracies. A majority of respondents linked democracy with instability, poor economy and lack of order.

Meanwhile, 77 percent identified politic issues – which includes conflict, corruption, and the party system – to be the most important problem facing the country. In contrast, only 10 percent said crime was the biggest problem and 8 percent rated the economy and unemployment as the biggest challenge.

However, 90 percent believed dialogue is the way to solve the country’s problems. But 1 in 3 people did believe that violence is sometimes a necessary response to social injustice.

The survey also found that Maldivians scored significantly higher than other populations in their support for the value of individual responsibility at 73 percent. Support for gender equality was much lower at 38 percent, with women more likely to reject gender equality.

Generational differences

The survey results indicated a significant generational gap in attitudes towards democracy, with younger people systematically less likely to be satisfied with democracy than older people. 55 percent of those in the 18-25 age group said they were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.

Moreover, a majority of those less than 35 years of age said they have no confidence in representative institutions. Those over 46 years of age are twice as likely as their younger counterparts to say they have high levels of confidence in these institutions.

The young are markedly more cynical, but are more democratic in their outlook. They are more likely to disagree with idea that economies work poorly, less likely to think democracies are unstable and that “there is too much argument” in democracies.

Support for gender equality is significantly higher among the young.

Read the full report here.

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Supreme Court orders prosecutors to resume work “without any further excuse”

Invoking its powers as the highest authority for administration of justice, the Supreme Court has today ordered state prosecutors to return to work “without any further excuse.”

Lawyers at the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office have been on strike since acting PG Hussein Shameem’s resignation on May 6, forcing the Criminal Court to cancel all criminal hearings.

However the apex court in a ruling today ordered prosecutors to attend trials, stating “[T]here is no legal basis to allow any actions that violate societal rights and disrupt the peace in a democratic society under sovereign rule, and it is essential that the criminal justice system continues to function, for as long as the Maldivian state continues, to uphold the rule of law and protect state and citizens’ rights.”

The ruling comes a day after prosecutors sent a letter to President Abdulla Yameen expressing concern over lack of accountability mechanisms in the PG’s absence, and disagreeing with the Attorney General’s (AG) opinion that the senior most official in the office must take over the PG’s constitutional obligations.

AG Mohamed Anil had claimed the leadership vacuum had caused a “state of necessity” where extra legal actions committed by the state to restore order could be deemed constitutional.

The Supreme Court concurred with Anil’s advise and added state prosecutors must resume work to ensure the criminal justice system functions without stop under the principle of continuity of government.

However, former AG and President of the Bar Association Husnu Suood said the apex court’s ruling might allow the status quo to continue indefinitely.

“I am saddened the Supreme Court did not allocate a time period in which the president and parliament must appoint a new PG. The way to uphold the constitution, the real solution to this problem, is to appoint a new PG as soon as possible,” he said.

President Yameen has said he is waiting until the new parliament, in which ruling coalition holds a majority, convenes on May 28 to submit a new nominee.

The current Majlis – in recess before the end of its term – rejected the president’s nephew Maumoon Hameed for the position in March.

The Supreme Court had invoked both the state of necessity and continuity of government principles to legalise former President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s decision to stay on as president despite the end of his term on 11 November 2013.

Critics including Drug Court Judge Mahaz Ali have previously claimed the state of necessity argument to be invalid as long as the responsible authorities—president and parliament—are able to carry out their duties.

“A state of necessity is faced only when all legal avenues have been exhausted. In the current situation, the solution is to appoint a new prosecutor general. The current People’s Majlis is not in a situation where it cannot carry out its duties,” wrote the judge on his personal blog.

“The authority that must nominate a candidate [the President] is able to do so. Unless these two parties are in a state in which they cannot carry out their constitutional duties, a state of necessity will not be faced in the prosecutor general’s case.”

State prosecutors’ failure to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling may result in disobedience to order and contempt of court charges.

The Supreme Court in March stripped Elections Commission (EC) President Fuwad Thowfeek and Vice President Ahmed Fayaz of their membership for alleged contempt of court and disobeying the court’s rulings.

The EC was brought to trial under new regulations that allow the Supreme Court to initiate proceedings, prosecute and pass judgment.

Shameem had resigned citing the Criminal Court’s “obstruction” of criminal justice by failing to prosecute foreigners involved in drug trafficking, delaying rulings on drug related offenses and presenting“unreasonable obstacles” in filing cases at the court.

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Boskalis committing “environmental crimes” in UNESCO biosphere reserve, says Ecocare

Netherlands based maritime infrastructure company Royal Boskalis Westminster is committing “serious environmental crimes” in the Maldives, a local environmental group has said.

The company – claimed to have the world’s largest dredging fleet –  has come under fire for mining sand from the country’s only UNESCO biosphere reserve in Baa Atoll.

It also failed to build a barrier to prevent excess dredge soil from spilling onto the reef in Baa Atoll Eydhaushi Island – a move that could cause serious damage to the fragile ecosystem.

“Boskalis has to leave the Maldives now,” Ecocare founder Maeed M. Zahir told Minivan News.

The US$ 37 million four-island reclamation project has reclaimed 20 hectares in Dhaalu Atoll Meedhoo Island in March and 33 hectares in Baa Atoll Eydhafushi Island last week. Work is ongoing on Kaafu Atoll Thulusdhoo Island while a date for reclamation in Dhaalu Atoll Kudahuvadhoo Island has not yet been set.

In the two islands where reclamation was completed houses and vegetation on the shorelines were also covered in fine mixture of sand and salt due to the use of the “rainbow technique” which propels soil into the air.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has previously said fine sand particles thrust into the air by the rainbow technique could cause lung and respiratory issues.

Housing Ministry complicit

Maeed accused the Housing Ministry of being complicit in Bosaklis’ violation of environmental regulations, noting the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) had issued several warnings ordering the company to stop unsafe dredging.

“The Housing Ministry’s failure to stop the project means the ministry is pushing Boskalis. By the time, the EPA warnings arrive, the damage is already done,” he said.

Minister of Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim told Minivan News the EPA is investigating the case.

According to Maeed, the EPA had said it will impose a fine on Boskalis, but the agency has failed to do so. He called for the EPA to be removed from the Environment Ministry’s remit and given greater powers as an independent body to prevent violations in the future.

Boskalis began dredging in Meedhoo in March, but the EPA halted the project temporarily for failure to follow procedures recommended in an environmental impact assessment report.

Instead of using pipelines to transport dredged sand to the shore, Bosaklis dredgers propelled sand and salt through the air covering houses and vegetation on the shoreline in debris.

Housing Minister Mohamed Muizz told local media at the time that safety measures would be followed in the future.

However, Boskalis used the same techniques in Baa Atoll Eydhafushi Island, and furthermore, dredged sand from the UNESCO biosphere reserve and transported it to Thulusdhoo Island in Kaafu Atoll for ongoing land reclamation.

Eydhafushi residents spotted a Boskalis dredger carrying sand away from the island this weekend, and raised the issue with the EPA.

Eydhafushi Island Councillor Mohamed Riza said the company had not sought permission from the local government to mine sand from the atoll.

Baa Atoll was declared a biosphere reserve in June 2011. It is the first of it’s kind in the Maldives.

President Abdulla Yameen inaugurated the Thuludhoo reclamation project this morning.

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State prosecutors push president for action on criminal justice crisis

State prosecutors today urged President Abdulla Yameen to bring an end to the criminal justice crisis caused by the leadership vacuum at the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office.

The ongoing work stoppage at the office has brought the criminal justice system to a halt and prosecutors have refused to attend court following acting PG Hussein Shameem’s resignation last week.

In a letter to the president, prosecutors called for the immediate appointment of a new PG, arguing “[J]ust because we are the PG office’s staff, we do not believe we are authorised to perform the constitutional obligations of the prosecutor general.”

Yameen had previously said he would only submit a new nominee for parliamentary approval when the newly elected People’s Majlis convenes on May 28.

The president’s previous choice for the role—his nephew Maumoon Hameed—failed to gain the required number of votes in parliament last month. In contrast to the current Majlis, pro-government parties will enjoy a health majority in the 18th Majlis.

In their letter, prosecutors disagreed with Attorney General Mohamed Anil’s advice that the most senior official at the office must now take over the PG’s responsibilities. Anil had justified his opinion claiming the country was in a “state of necessity”—a situation where extra-legal actions by state actors, designed to restore order, are deemed constitutional.

However, prosecutors said the state of necessity argument was not valid as long as the Majlis and the president were capable of performing their constitutional duties.

“If there is a state of necessity, the [state] must appoint a prosecutor general according to the law, instead of appointing a party, whose legal status will be questionable, to the job” the letter noted.

“We do not believe we can be forced to act outside established laws,” the prosecutors went on, claiming the constitution and the PG Act does not allow a third party to take over the PG’s responsibilities.

Questionable legal status

Quoting the PG Act, the prosecutors said the only party authorised to carry out the office’s responsibilities was the Deputy PG, while any other work can only be carried out to the extent stated by the leadership.

If a third party were to take over, there were no legal provisions to hold them accountable or ensure their work is impartial, they noted.

“The public must have the assurance that a third party will work without bias, and that accountability mechanisms are in place. This is because the PG’s work is directly connected to public rights,” the letter stated.

Prosecutors also stressed that there must be no question regarding the legal status of PG office representatives in the courtroom given the serious nature of criminal cases.

“Any case the prosecutor general files involves the legal rights of the defendant and their families. It further involves the rights of those who have been physically, psychologically, and financially harmed, victims of sexual and inhumane crimes, and rights of their families. It involves the public interest,” the letter said.

Although the Supreme Court has said criminal trials can continue in the absence of a PG, Druge Court Judge Mahaz Ali has said such trials would be unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, the Bar Association and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have called for the immediate appointment of a prosecutor general through the current Majlis to end the crisis.

Shameem resigned on May 6 citing the Criminal Court’s “obstruction” of criminal justice.

In his resignation statement, he said he was unable to fulfill his duties due to the Criminal Court’s failure to prosecute foreigners involved in drug trafficking, delays in issuing rulings on drug related offenses, and “unreasonable obstacles” in filing cases at the court.

The President’s Office put out a third call for names this week, claiming the previous number of applicants had been low during the second call. Shameem had expressed interest in the position both times, while local media has speculated that a third call will allow Hameed to resubmit his application.

Office spokesman Ibrahim Muaz told Minivan News that there was, as yet, no official response to the letter sent by state prosecutors.

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Supreme Court forms committee to review judicial laws

The Maldives Supreme Court has formed a Multi Stakeholder Judicial Sector Law Reform Committee to review and amend judicial laws on Wednesday.

According to the Supreme Court, the committee aims to reform laws, regulations, procedures and practice rules “to pave the way for social, political, and economic changes as per the constitution, enable the judiciary to protect the democratic environment, and strengthen the criminal, civil, and juvenile justice systems.”

The committee is to consist of Supreme Court judges, the attorney general, minister of home affairs, minister of finance and treasury, prosecutor general and the commissioner of police. The Supreme Court will appoint a secretariat to facilitate the committee’s work.

Noting the difference between judicial reform and law reform, former judicial watchdog member Aishath Velezinee criticised the Supreme Court’s move as an “encroachment” on the powers of the People’s Majlis and said the results may “lead to injustice before justice.”

Although the Supreme Court may formulate regulations to improve service delivery and functioning of the court system, the apex court’s leadership role in compiling amendments to laws “is out of bounds,” she said.

The process is flawed as no one can challenge the Supreme Court’s authority, she continued.

Several documents—including the 2013 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers Gabriela Knaul—have already made recommendations on judicial reform, she said, arguing that “forming a law reform committee does not match identified issues.”

Knaul’s comprehensive report on the Maldivian judiciary called for increased financial and human resources for the judiciary, establishing performance indicators to assess administration of justice and courts’ performances, human rights training for the judicial sector and creating an integrated system of case management.

She also called for the reinstatement of the Judicial Council tasked by the Judicature Act with administration of the judiciary. The Supreme Court had abolished the body in 2010 and taken over its powers, claiming the council was unconstitutional.

“Many interlocutors reported that the dissolution of the Judicial Council and the direct control of the Supreme Court over the Department of Judicial Administration have had the effect of centralizing administrative decisions in the hands of the Supreme Court,” the special rapporteur stated.

With the council’s abolishment, “the only platform for internal communication within the judiciary where difficulties, challenges, experiences and opinions could be exchanged, disappeared,” she added.

Velezinee claimed the new law reform committee is a further example of the Supreme Court using its “power of supremacy to hinder reform.”

She also criticised the “politicised” composition of the new committee due to the absence of independent state institutions on the committee. Although the prosecutor general is to sit on the committee, the position has been vacant since November 2013, she noted.

“If this is about human rights, why is the Human Rights Commission not involved?” she said.

Moreover, disgraced Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed’s involvement in the process “undermines its purposes,” she said.

Hameed has been implicated in a series of sex tapes publicised on social media in 2013, but the JSC has failed to take any action against the judge. Meanwhile, the prosecutor general has also filed corruption charges against Hameed for misuse of state funds.

The Supreme Court has justified the expansion of its influence over judicial administration by invoking Article 141 and 156 of the constitution.

While Article 141(b) states that the Supreme Court “shall be the highest authority for the administration of justice in the Maldives,” Article 156 states, “The courts have the inherent power to protect and regulate their own process, in accordance with law and the interests of justice.”

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Thalassemia Society calls for equal and improved care

The Maldives Thalassemia Society has called on the government to provide medical care to all patients with the genetic blood disorder without discrimination and upgrade facilities at the Maldivian Blood Services (MCS)

The Maldives has the highest concentration of carriers for the disorder at 18 percent, and over 500 registered patients. Thalassemia causes severe anemia and requires life long blood transfusions and treatment.

Speaking at a ceremony at Nasandhura Palace Hotel last night, Abdul Muizz Hassan of the Thalassemia Society said individuals with the disorder living in the islands do not have access to proper treatment, while medical care facilities in Malé are run down and dilapidated.

“The building we go to seek treatment from is dilapidated, run down. We have to bear a lot of difficulties to seek treatment there. I plead with you, [we would like] for [the government] to provide us with treatment at a new building, so that we can go home satisfied,” he said.

Although medical care for Thalassemia patients had seen improvements over the years, the pace of development was too slow, he said,

“[B]ut our lives cannot wait on the [slow] speed at which [work] is being carried out. In order to save lives, medical care for us must be of the best quality. This care must be provided to all without any discrimination.”

Individuals living with thalassemia often undertake costly journeys to Malé or regional healthcare centers at great cost for blood transfusions, he noted.

Muizz also called for specialized doctors and urged the establishment of an international clinical protocol or medical guideline for Thalassemia patients.

According to the Ministry of Health, 26 new Thalassemia patients register for treatment every year.

Meanwhile. local television station Raajje TV said a 21-year-old female living with Thalassemia had been transfused with infected blood leading to lung complications and swollen veins. The woman is reported to suffer from diabetes as well.

Doctors at state owned Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) told the patient she was suffering from complications due to the diabetes and that the hospital could not offer her further treatment. It was only when the family went to Sri Lanka that they found out the cause of her symptoms was bacteria infected blood.

A family member told Minivan News today that the woman had sought treatment in Sri Lanka and is doing well now. The family declined to comment further.

In March, a pregnant woman was given HIV positive blood at IGMH leading to a public outcry over deteriorating health care services.  An Indian laboratory technician has been arrested over the case.

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