Author: Minivan News

Agreement signed with Russian authorities for cooperation in criminal cases

An agreement was signed today between Russia and Maldives for cooperation in criminal matters at a ceremony at Traders Hotel.

Visiting Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika – also Russian Justice Minister – signed on behalf of Russia while Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin signed on behalf of the Maldivian government.

Details of the agreement have not yet been shared with the media.

Muhsin told local media that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would also be signed today to facilitate training for Maldivian prosecutors in Russia and allow Russian prosecutors to work in the Maldives.

The agreements were arranged by former Prosecutor General Ahmed Muiz during his tenure – which ended twelve months ago, Muhsin added.

In August, a 25-year-old Russian woman caught smuggling 2kg of cocaine was deported before the conclusion of her trial at the Criminal Court, which had been stalled due to language barriers.

In July, the Russian Foreign Ministry had expressed outrage over the arrest of Roman Valerevich Seleznyov, 30, from the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) and called it a “kidnapping” by the U.S. Secret Service.

Home Minister Umar Naseer later said the Maldivian government would have “acted differently” if the home ministry had been aware that the alleged hacker expelled on July 5 was the son of a Russian lawmaker.

Selezynov’s father Valery Seleznyov called on Russian authorities to impose economic sanctions on the Maldives and reportedly offered US$50,000 for evidence proving his son was detained by US intelligence agents.

US officials have maintained that Maldivian authorities acted under their own laws, expelling Seleznyov from the country before his subsequent arrest.

Seleznyov is accused of bank fraud, identity theft, and other cyber crimes. The US have described him as “one of the world’s most prolific traffickers of stolen financial information”.

Russia currently ranks fifth in terms of the number of tourist arrivals to Maldives, and is one of the fastest growing tourist markets in the world. More than 33,000 Russian tourists arrived during the first five months of 2014,

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Baa Atoll Conservation Fund grants US$100,000 for seven projects

Free aid worth US$100,000 has been granted from the Baa Atoll Conservation Fund to finance seven environment protection and developmental projects in the atoll.

The fund was established in April 2012 following the designation of the atoll as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim handed award documents to the recipients at a ceremony held last night in Baa Eydhafushi.

The seven parties were selected following evaluation of 26 proposals. They were the Dharavandhoo development cooperative society, Kendhoo school, Kihaadhoo farm foundation, Maalhos women’s committee, Thulhaadhoo island council, and Eydhafushi Feyli association.

Baa Atoll, which includes Hanifaru Bay – an area world-renowned for sighting whale sharks and manta rays – was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in June 2011, after more than five years of lobbying by the government.

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Man assaulted in Malé

A young man was assaulted and seriously injured near the Usfasgandu area of Malé last night, reports local media.

A police patrol discovered the victim on the ground around 1am and took him to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Police said a group of men on motorbikes assaulted the youth and no arrests have yet been made. Local media reported that the victim was attacked with wrenches while he was working on his motorbike.

The extent of the victim’s injuries also remain unclear.

Earlier this week, two men were stabbed in a café in Malé while several violent assaults took place in the capital during the previous month.

A spate of violent assaults in the capital in August – which police said was a series of gang reprisals – saw three young men stabbed to death.

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ARC exhibition opened by first lady

A photo exhibition for children’s rights NGO Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC) has opened in Malé’s National Art Gallery, with First Lady Madam Fathimath Ibrahim cutting the ribbon yesterday morning.

The first lady commended ARC for its efforts to promote and protect the rights of the child, and acknowledged the greater need to raise awareness on issues concerning children’s welfare.

The exhibition – which runs until Friday (November 7) between 10am and 11pm – features photographs depicting areas from the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Twelve photographs were chosen to be included in ARC’s official 2015 calendar, with the winners being revealed and certificates awarded by the first lady at yesterday’s opening ceremony.

All proceeds from the calendar sales will be used to fund ARC’s HOPE Campaign against Child Abuse.

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MP Nihan elected chair of budget review committee

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Nihan has been elected chair of parliament’s budget review committee at the first meeting of the committee today.

Coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) MP Ali Mauroof was meanwhile elected deputy chair.

The 24-member budget review committee is comprised of the economic affairs committee and public accounts committee.

While Nihan – PPM parliamentary group leader and majority leader – was elected with 21 votes in favour, Mauroof was elected with 15 votes.

The committee has 13 MPs from the ruling PPM-MDA coalition, seven opposition Maldivian Democratic Party MPs, and four Jumhooree Party MPs.

At its first meeting today, the committee decided to complete its review of the record MVR24.3 billion annual state budget presented at yesterday’s sitting by Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad by December 1.

Article 96(b) of the Constitution states, “The People’s Majlis may approve or amend the budget submitted by the Minister of Finance as in its discretion it deems fit.”

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President Yameen inaugurates Hoarafushi sewerage project

President Abdulla Yameen officially inaugurated a sewerage project on the island of Hoarafushi in Haa Alif Atoll yesterday.

The Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure awarded the project to the Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC).

After the inauguration ceremony, President Yameen also visited Haa Alif Kulhudhufushi yesterday. He is due to return to the capital, Malé, today.

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Missing Maldivian surfaces in Bangkok

A Maldivian citizen reported missing in Malaysia five months ago has handed himself into consular staff in Bangkok.

Hamdhan Mohamed made himself known to Maldivian consular officials yesterday, with Malaysian High Commissioner Mohamed Fayaz telling local media that the 28-year-old was in good health.

Authorities began the search for Hamdhan in June after he failed to board two booked flights back to the Maldives. Interpol later issued a missing persons notice.

Fayaz told media that the cause of the disappearance was still unknown, but that a team from the High Commission in Malaysia would now travel to Thailand to meet with Hamdhan.

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Amendments to Clemency Act sent to committee

Amendments to the Clemency Act submitted by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Thoriq was accepted for consideration at today’s sitting of parliament.

Following preliminary debate, MPs voted unanimously to send the amendment bill (Dhivehi) to the national security committee for further review with 62 votes in favour.

According to Thoriq’s amendments, convicts would be eligible for presidential pardon or reduction of sentences after serving one-fourth of a jail term. The period is currently one-third of a sentence.

Thoriq also proposed adding drug trafficking to crimes for which convicts would not be eligible for pardon.

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Suspect acquitted of Ayyube murder

The Criminal Court on Sunday (November 2) acquitted Mohamed Fauzan of murdering Ali Hassan ‘Ayyube’ in Dhaalu Kudahuvadhoo in January 2012.

The court decided that the evidence submitted by the prosecution was insufficient to prove Fauzan was guilty of murdering the 76-year-old.

In March 2013, two minors charged with Ayyube’s murder pleaded guilty to aiding the murder in court. The two minors were charged with spying on Ayyube before the murder, and assisting the assailants to hide the murder weapon.

The Juvenile Court subsequently sentenced the pair to death.

Ayyube’s body was discovered with multiple stab wounds in an abandoned house on Kudahuvadhoo on January 8, 2013. Police arrested six individuals in connection to the case.

The victim had previously been accused of using sorcery on Fauzan’s 37 year-old mother. She was reported missing at 2am on December 4, 2011 and her body was found floating in Kudahuvadhoo lagoon later that morning.

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