Author: Minivan News

MP Mahloof levels serious allegations at Tourism Minister Adeeb

MP Ahmed Mahloof has accused Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb of using gangs to commit politically motivated “state-sponsored” crimes.

In an appearance on opposition-aligned Raajje TV last night, Mahloof alleged the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) deputy leader’s involvement in a number of “atrocities,” including the arson attack on Raajje TV in October 2013 and the stabbing of former MP Alhan Fahmy in February 2014.

“In reality, the current government is a big gang,” he said.

“There aren’t that many people in this gang. There about six people in this gang. President Yameen is the boss. Some people might find this hard to hear, but I’m saying this with daring because President Yameen would not keep Adeeb close knowing the serious atrocities in this country are carried out by him.”

Adeeb was responsible for bringing both the government and the PPM into disrepute and creating divisions within the party, he added.

On Sunday night (March 15), Mahloof alleged that a group of about ten men attempted to break into his apartment after Adeeb threatened him over the phone.

Adeeb has denied the allegations, claiming Mahloof was getting paid or bribed to defame him and President Abdulla Yameen. The tourism minister has also dismissed allegations of connections with criminal gangs.

The MP for Galolhu South was expelled from the PPM last month for allegedly defaming President Yameen.

Mahloof claimed last night that Adeeb demanded he pay back MVR5 million (US$324,254) and threatened him over the phone.

The group of young men tried to enter his apartment about two hours later, he said.

Referring to a group of six young men threatening opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) demonstrators with knives on Sunday night before smashing up a lorry and loudspeakers, Mahloof claimed Adeeb assures immunity from prosecution to the youth involved in the attacks.

A number of senior police officers were beholden to Adeeb and followed his orders, Mahloof continued, claiming other police officers were unhappy with the release of young men arrested for attacking peaceful protesters.

Any police officer who tries to investigate Adeeb would be fired, he claimed.

Speaking to reporters outside the parliament building yesterday, Mahloof alleged that Adeeb had admitted to paying gangs to torch the motorcycle of then-MP-elect Mohamed Abdulla ‘Muhamma’ in May 2014 before he switched from the Jumhooree Party (JP) to PPM.

Police intelligence had learned of Adeeb’s involvement, Mahloof claimed, adding that Adeeb had told him the plan was “to make it look like the JP did it” after MP Abdulla publicly declared that he would support the government if his party left the ruling coalition.

“Atrocities”

Tourism Minster Ahmed Adeeb; economic council; PPM deputy leaderIn his Raajje TV appearance, Mahloof said he had never faced any threats or feared attacks from the MDP despite his outspoken criticism of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

However, Mahloof said he now believed an attack or attempt to frame him was likely.

He also accused the tourism minister of corruption, claiming resort owners had told him that Adeeb demands MVR500,000 (US$32,425) for a meeting.

Mahloof claimed a youth allegedly involved in torching Raajje TV studios personally told him that he met Adeeb to plan the attack.

Moreover, former Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz – now an opposition JP MP – said the police investigation established Adeeb’s involvement, he added.

Mahloof also claimed that Adeeb confessed to having Specialist Operations (SO) police officers chop down all of Malé City Council’s areca palms in October. Adeeb has paid off a number of SO officers, he alleged.

Mahloof further claimed that the PPM parliamentary group was initially against the dismissal of Supreme Court Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain.

But Adeeb came to a parliamentary group meeting and told MPs that “Yameen believes this should be done and we will decide those who don’t vote for this are against the government.”

Only Mahloof and MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed voted against issuing a three-line whip to dismiss the chief justice, he added.

Moreover, PPM MP Ahmed Nazim – former deputy speaker – was out of favour with President Yameen after he revealed “with evidence” alleged corruption involving Adeeb to the president, which later became the subject of an audit report implicating the tourism minister in a US$6 million corruption scandal.

Mahloof said he does not plan to join a political party in the near future and preferred to remain an independent MP, but added that he was willing to work with the opposition.

Recently dismissed Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, currently standing trial for weapons smuggling, has told the Criminal Court that SO officers planted a pistol and three bullets at his apartment during a midnight raid on Adeeb’s orders on January 18. The pair had fallen out after the ex Defence Minister informed President Yameen of the Tourism Minister’s involvement in chopping down Malé City’s Areca Palms, Nazim alleged.

The Tourism Minister has dismissed the allegations as lies.

 

Related to this story

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Adeeb framed Nazim after fallout over Malé City’s Areca palms, lawyers claim

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Education Minister cuts short Raa Atoll trip amid protests

Education Minister Dr Aishath Shiham cut short a trip to Raa Atoll amid opposition protests over terrorism charges against former President Mohamed Nasheed.

When Dr Shiham arrived in Raa Atoll Ungoofaaru Island on March 13, Nasheed’s supporters staged a protest at the jetty calling for the opposition leader’s release.

According to Haveeru, a clash occurred between ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) supporters and Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters. Police dispersed the protesters.

The former president was sentenced to 13 years in jail at 23:15 pm that night over the military detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

Dr Shiham spent the night in Ungoofaaru, but left to Malé the next day without visiting Hulhudhuffaru. Dhuvaafaru, Maakurathu and Rasmadhoo Islands.

The minister had visited ten islands to examine the education systems before her visit to Ungoofaaru.

The President of Hulhudhuffaru Island Council Aahir Hussain told Haveeru students and faculty were disappointed by Dr Shiham’s decision to cancel the trip.

“Students and parents stayed up late for weeks to prepare for the minister’s visit. So everyone is quite upset when she cancelled,” he said.

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Ex Chief of Defence Forces ‘chaired military meeting’ ahead of Judge Abdulla’s arrest

Former Chief of Defence Forces Moosa Ali Jaleel chaired a military consultative council meeting requesting the military be brought to alert ahead of Judge Abdulla Mohamed’s arrest on January 16, 2012, a witness has said.

Jaleel, who was recently appointed as President Abdulla Yameen’s Defence Minister is charged with terrorism over the Criminal Court Chief Judge’s 22-day military detention, but had previously denied any involvement in the arrest, repeatedly stating he neither received nor gave any orders to arrest the judge.

However, then- Vice Chief of Defence Forces Farhath Shaheer last night told the Criminal Court that Jaleel had asked the council if the military alert status needed to be revised ahead of the judge’s arrest. Jaleel also told the council he was not seeking advice on the arrest, Farhath said.

Farhath said he does not remember if the minutes of the emergency meeting were recorded.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed was found guilty of terrorism over Judge Abdulla’s arrest on March 13, and sentenced to 13 years in jail. The trial has drawn international and domestic concern over apparent lack of due process.

Jaleel on March 7 led a ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) motorcycle rally calling for a swift sentence in Nasheed’s trial.

Jaleel previously told the Criminal Court the former Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu and then-Malé Area Commander Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Didi – currently opposition Maldivian Democratic Party MP for mid-Hithadhoo constituency – were in charge of the operation to arrest Judge Abdulla.

The pair are also on trial on terrorism charges along with former Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Ziyad.

Jaleel had told parliament’s Government Oversight Committee in January 2013 that former Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu usurped the army chief’s powers through a strategic defence directive (SDD), which required area commanders to answer directly to the defence minister.

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Amendments to Political Parties Act sent to committee amidst opposition MPs’ protest

Amendments submitted on behalf of the government to the Political Parties Act by ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Azhan Fahmy was sent to committee at today’s sitting of parliament.

Preliminary debate and voting on the bill took place amidst protests by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs over the arrest and conviction of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Opposition MPs have been protesting at every sitting since parliament returned from recess on March 2. Parliament has ceased providing live feed to television stations since the protests began.

According to the People’s Majlis secretariat, 20 MPs spoke during the debate. MDP MPs meanwhile used whistles and megaphones in their protest on the Majlis floor.

The amendments (Dhivehi) were accepted for consideration with 47 votes in favour and five abstentions and sent to the Independent Institutions Committee for further review.

The bill proposed abolishing or amending clauses in the political parties law that the Supreme Court had ruled were unconstitutional.

The amendments stipulate that a political party should have 3,000 registered members and 10,000 members to be eligible for state funding.

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Two MDP activists arrested on allegations of planning arson attacks

Police arrested two opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activists on allegations of planning acts of arson on Friday night.

Shiyan Shafeeq ‘Shiyalhey’ and ‘Maalimee’ Ibrahim Ahmed were arrested on Friday night (March 13) during an MDP protest ahead of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s conviction on terrorism charges.

Nasheed was found guilty of ordering the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012 and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

According to local media, the Criminal Court on Saturday extended the pair’s remand detention to ten days.

Police arrested 13 other protesters on Friday night, all of whom have since been released from custody.

Shiyalhey was also arrested in 2012 on allegations of disrupting public order, attacking security services personnel, and causing disturbances during anti-government demonstrations.

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UK MP Bruce condemns Nasheed’s terrorism sentence, reiterates calls for international sanctions

UK Conservative Party’s Human Rights Commission has called the Criminal Court’s decision to jail former President Mohamed Nasheed on terrorism charges a “blatant and grotesque injustice.”

Condemning the 13 year jail term, Chairman of the commission, MP Fiona Bruce reiterated calls on the international community to consider a drastic range of sanctions against President Abdulla Yameen’s regime.

These include targeted financial sanctions, freezing overseas assets, imposing travel bans, arms embargos, suspension from the Commonwealth and tourism boycotts.

“We need to use every means to put pressure on the Maldivian regime to permit an appeal by Mr Nasheed, release him, drop the charges, begin a political dialogue, and move towards the restoration of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law,” she said.

Bruce also expressed concern over the Criminal Court denying Nasheed legal representation, right to appeal and bail. The court had refused to hear evidence from his defence witnesses, she noted.

The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) last week condemned Bruce’s earlier calls for sanctions.

Referring to Bruce calling Nasheed “a champion of non-violent, peaceful democracy,” the PPM claimed the former president had “resorted to violent, unlawful, unconstitutional and undemocratic methods during his regime from 2008 to 2012, including the unlawful ‘abduction and isolation’ of the Criminal Court Chief Judge in 2012.”

“We are further baffled by her baseless allegation that Nasheed was ‘physically mistreated while in custody,’” the statement read.

“We would like to emphasise that he has been fully accorded his rights in line with the constitution and the laws of the Maldives.

The statement added that Nasheed had succeeded former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – the PPM’s leader – “who had ushered in modern liberal democracy in the Maldives, in addition to transforming the country from one of the poorest five countries in the world to a flourishing economy with the highest per capita income in the whole of South Asia.”

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Home minister assures Nasheed’s safety and welfare in custody

Former President Mohamed Nasheed will be incarcerated in a 264-square foot furnished “prison apartment” in Maafushi jail with air-conditioning, a sitting room, a television and VCD player, Home Minister Umar Naseer has said.

Naseer revealed in a tweet this morning that the opposition leader would also have a 1,087-square foot garden and would be able to “live with other inmate-friends.”

“The government guarantees the safety, welfare, and protection of former [President] Nasheed while in custody,” Naseer tweeted last night.

“He’ll be treated with respect and dignity.”

Following the Criminal Court sentencing Nasheed to 13 years in jail on Friday night, Naseer said he had asked police to hold the former president in Dhoonidhoo detention centre “until a special unit is constructed in Maafushi prison.”

Nasheed was found guilty on terrorism charges over the January 2012 military detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

However, the office of former President Nasheed released a statement today claiming the cell being prepared to house the opposition leader was in an area of the jail deemed unfit for human habitation.

“The use of the cell being prepared in Maafushi jail was discontinued after the Human Rights Commission of Maldives and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent determined in 2009 that it was unfit to hold people,” the statement read.

“The toilet of the cell currently being prepared is inside the cell. It was built such that unclean odours and bacteria fans out to the whole cell. It is adjacent to the jail’s garbage dump. Germs, bacteria and unclean air constantly circulate inside the cell.”

The Maldives Correctional Services – which manages jails and detention centres – functions under the home ministry.

Home Ministry Media Coordinator Thazmeel Abdul Samad told Minivan News today that he was not aware of the location of the cell within the jail.

“It is being built in the most appropriate way to hold a former president of Maldives,” he insisted, adding that Nasheed would “not feel any discomfort.”

Thazmeel said construction of the cell would be complete within a week or ten days.

The office of the former president meanwhile contended that the the home ministry’s arrangements were in violation of the Constitution as well as the Maldives’ obligations under the the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

“This government is making arrangements to unjustly cause serious harm to President Nasheed,” the statement alleged, adding that preventing inmates from interacting with others or from being seen by anyone was also against the domestic anti-torture law.

“We have received information of the Ministry of Home Affairs preparing a good place to hold President Nasheed and making arrangements to keep other inmates with him,” it continued.

“However, the cell is being prepared in an area in Maafushi jail that has been deemed unfit for human habitation. And as the other inmates to be kept with President Nasheed so as not to keep him in isolation would be determined by this government, we are extremely concerned over the threat to President Nasheed’s safety and security.”

Related to this story

Former President Nasheed found guilty of terrorism, sentenced to 13 years in prison

Government will ensure Nasheed’s right to appeal conviction, says spokesperson

Respect Criminal Court verdict, says President Yameen

“This is not a court of law. This is injustice,” Nasheed tells the Criminal Court

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Villa Group contests US$100 million rent claim

Opposition leader Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Group has contested a US$100million claim issued by the Tourism Ministry at the Civil Court.

The 30-day notice, issued on March 1, came after the ministry annulled agreements for seven islands leased to Villa Group. At the time, the ministry claimed Villa had failed to begin developing the islands as resorts.

The company last week requested the Civil Court to annul the US$100million claim as well as the Tourism Ministry’s decision to cancel the seven lease agreements.

Meanwhile, the opposition has alleged the government was targeting Gasim’s businesses following his split with the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives and subsequent alliance with the Maldivian Democratic Party.

The Tourism Ministry in early February also moved to seize several lagoons granted to Villa Group, but was stalled following a Civil Court injunction. The High Court on February 24 overturned the stay order, paving the way for state appropriation.

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Majlis committee votes to approve Jaleel as Defence Minister

The People’s Majilis’ government oversight committee has approved Major General (retired) Moosa Ali Jaleel as Defense Minister, despite pending terrorism charges at the Criminal Court.

Five ruling coalition MPs voted in favor. Opposition MPs and one ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP voted against the retired general.

“I refuse to vote for him because there are serious accusations against him. It is not right to approve him with all of these accusations,” said PPM MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed.

Jaleel was charged with terrorism along with former President Mohamed Nasheed for the military detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in 2012.

On March 13, Nasheed was found guilty and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

President Abdulla Yameen appointed Jaleel as Defense Minister after dismissing Retired Colonel Mohamed Nazim from the position on January 20.

Nazim is currently standing trial for smuggling illegal weapons following the police’s controversial discovery of a gun and three bullets during a midnight raid on January 18.

Jaleel has previously participated in a rally demanding a speedy verdict for Nasheed.

The Criminal Court has scheduled a hearing for Jaleel tomorrow night (March 16) at 8.00 pm.

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