Day: July 9, 2014

Seleznyov ‘expelled’ on Interpol red notice, says Home Ministry

With additional reporting by Zaheena Rasheed.

Russian national Roman Valerevich Seleznyov was expelled from the Maldives in response to an Interpol red notice, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said.

Seleznyov, 30-years-old, was on holiday in the Maldives and was arrested from the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) on July 5 minutes before he boarded a flight to Moscow. Seleznyov is the son of Russian parliamentarian Valery Seleznyov.

The Maldives Police Service followed due process in expelling Seleznyov, the Home Ministry said.

“As Interpol is the biggest international police institution and the Maldives has been a member of the Interpol since 1984, the government of Maldives considers Interpol red notices issued to be of high priority and takes serious action [regarding such notices].”

The ministry also said the Maldives respects international treaties it is party to and strives to sustain relations with friendly nations.

The Interpol official website describes the red notice as one that “seek the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action.”

However, statements from both the United States and the Russian governments indicates the arrest was made by the US Secret Service. Maldives does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.

Seleznyov is accused of bank fraud, identity theft, and other cyber crimes.

Russia has called Seleznyov’s arrest a “kidnapping” and described the actions of Maldivian authorities in the incident as “outraging”.

Minivan News was unable to obtain a comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Department of Immigration and Emigration today said the institution was unaware of the incident.

Due process

Meanwhile, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has urged the government to accord due process and credible judicial mechanisms in repatriating suspects.

It also appealed to the Russian government to exercise restraint.

The government violated the constitution in Seleznyov’s arrest, claimed the party, noting that the suspect was immediately transported by officials of the third country out of Maldives jurisdiction, despite the law requiring arrests within Maldivian territory to be made by local security personnel.

“The Maldivian Democratic Party notes that the Maldivian Constitution stipulates for arrests within Maldivian territory to be made by personnel of Maldivian security services. It is also a judicial requirement for security services including the Police to procure a warrant from a Maldivian Court for such seize-and-arrest operations and that the suspect is produced at the relevant Court in Maldives prior to repatriation,” the statement read.

“The Maldivian Democratic Party deplores the fact that the government had unnecessarily projected the state as powerless and the view that the government had undermined the Maldives Constitution with blatant disregard to concerns of individual rights of tourists who visit Maldives.”

The government’s “negligent and high handed tactics” may have adverse effects on trade and tourism, the MDP said.

The opposition party has reiterated its calls for urgent judicial reform and called on local and foreign institutions to prevail over the Maldives government to “foster overdue judicial reforms and establish judicial mechanisms for Police and government officials to cease and desist from deliberate denials of due process.”

Russia’s reaction

The Russian Foreign Ministry has said they were not informed of the arrest and called on the Maldives to provide necessary explanations.

“The stance of Maldives’ authorities cannot be but outraging, since despite the existing international legislation norms they allowed another country’s special service to kidnap a Russian citizen and take him out of the country,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“It is not the first time that the US side resorts to the de-facto abduction of a Russian national ignoring the bilateral 1999 treaty on mutual legal assistance” the Russian ministry was quoted as saying in international media.

Russia has also compared the incident with two earlier extradition cases, one of arms dealer Viktor Bout and attempted drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko, stating that they too were “forcibly taken to the U.S. from third countries and convicted on dubious charges.”

Speaking to Russian media, Roman Seleznyov’s father has warned Russians against visiting Maldives.

“You see how unsafe is there. One may be kidnapped in front of his wife and child,” he was quoted as saying. He said he is unable to contact his son, and claimed the US authorities are denying his rights.

“They took him to Guam because American law is not fully applicable there” he was quoted as saying.

In September 2013 Russia issued a travel advisory cautioning its citizens to avoid countries where US law enforcement can arrest and extradite it’s citizens.

Arrest and Charges

According to the Unites States, Seleznyov was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service and was transported to Guam Island – a US territory in the western Pacific – where he was presented at court. He is under detention until a second hearing on July 22.

US Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Jenny A. Durkan, in a statement thanked the US Secret Service for apprehending Selenyov.

“Cyber crooks should take heed: you cannot hide behind distant keyboards. We will bring you to face justice,” said Durkin, who also heads the Justice Department’s Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Enforcement Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee.

According to the statement Seleznyov was indicted in March 2011 in the Western District of Washington for hacking into point of sale systems at retailers throughout the United States between October 2009 and February 2011.

He is said to be involved in the criminal underground for carding (verifying validity of stolen credit card data), where he is known as “Track2”.

Seleznev is accused of engaging in a bank fraud scheme, hacking into retail POS systems and installing malicious software on them to steal credit card numbers. He is also accused of creating and operated infrastructure – among the servers that hosting carding forum websites selling stolen credit card numbers.

“The arrest of Roman Seleznev is yet another example of how the Secret Service continues to successfully combat data theft and financial crimes,” said Robert Kierstead, Special Agent in Charge of the US Secret Service Seattle Field Office.

“The Secret Service utilized state-of-the-art investigative techniques to dismantle this criminal network.  Our success in this case and other similar investigations is a result of the extraordinary work of our investigators and our close work with our network of law enforcement partners.”

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President Yameen to visit China in August

President Abdulla Yameen is scheduled to visit China in August on the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the President’s Office has announced.

Yameen is to hold official talks with China and attend the opening ceremony of Summer Youth Olympic Games to be held in Nanjing from August 16 – 28.

“In addition, the president will participate in many activities on the sidelines of official talks. At a time when the government is preparing to begin many development projects, the president visiting a friendly country like China, which has contributed immensely to the development of Maldives, will prove most useful,” President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali told Haveeru.

Relations between Maldives and China have seen a rise in recent years, with increased Chinese investment and a growth in tourist arrivals from China.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb said the government is seeking a US$ 400 million from China to develop the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) and three Chinese companies have recently expressed interest in building a bridge between Malé and suburb Hulhumalé.

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Government proposes scrapping punishment for evading mandatory national service

The government has proposed scrapping a provision in a 1976 law that allows the president to banish or place under house arrest persons who evade mandatory national service after completing state-funded training or education at public schools.

Presenting the amendment bill (Dhivehi) on behalf of the government at today’s sitting of parliament, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Abdulla Rifau said the provision contravened article 55 of the constitution, which states, “No person shall be imprisoned on the ground of non-fulfilment of a contractual obligation.”

Rifau also noted that according to article 16(a) of the constitution, fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by chapter two could only be restricted or limited to any extent “only if demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.”

Debate

In the ensuing debate, PPM MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed argued that abolishing the provision would be a “cosmetic change” as it had become null and void with enactment of the new constitution in August 2008.

Advising a broader debate on national service, Nasheed noted that 80 percent of workers was employed by the government and 20 percent by the private sector when the law was passed in 1976 while the reverse was true at present.

“Our ground reality has changed while this law was on the books,” he said.

In 2013, Nasheed added, 7,623 students completed O’ Levels, out of which 3,123 students (43 percent) was eligible for A’ Levels after passing five subjects.

The number of students who completed A’ Levels in 2013 was meanwhile 1,725, he noted, of which 1,294 students (75 percent) was eligible to pursue higher education or bachelors degree.

While students who completed O’ Levels 40 years ago were forced to serve the government regardless of their grades, Nasheed said in the present day hundreds of people apply for job openings at government offices.

The 1976 law – comprised of 11 articles – requiring 80 percent of school leavers to join the civil service was therefore irrelevant today, he contended, with the exception of sections dealing with employees who refuse to return to work after completing government-sponsored higher education or training.

As the issue was not “clearcut,” Nasheed recommended “serious debate” on formulating new rules appropriate for present circumstances.

Unconstitutional

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Abdul Gafoor Moosa meanwhile contended that the entire law should be abolished as it was unconstitutional.

The law was also in conflict with article 36 of the constitution on the right to education, which stipulates that the state should provide free primary and secondary education and ensure accessibility for higher education for all citizens.

While supporting the amendment, MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, however, accused the government of seeking positive headlines to mislead the public.

Jumhooree Party (JP) MP Gasim Ibrahim recommended expediting the debate on the legislation “to save time” as there was consensus among MPs on approving the amendment. The JP leader noted that several similar amendments to laws in conflict with the constitution were before parliament.

Among other amendments submitted by the government to bring outdated laws in line with the constitution include revisions to the Immigration Act, Child Protection Act, and detention procedures.

In June, Attorney General Mohamed Anil told local media that 51 pieces of legislation will be submitted to the current session of parliament out of a legislative agenda comprised of 207 bills.

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Government lacks vision or policy for fisheries, says MDP

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned President Abdulla Yameen’s fishery policies, claiming fish catch has been decreasing since the party was ousted from power in February 2012.

The government “lacks any policy or vision” regarding the fisheries sector, the MDP said in a statement on Monday.

Fishing is the Maldives’ third largest industry after tourism and construction.

“The MDP expresses concern over declining profits for fishermen and condemns the government’s neglect of the fisheries sector,” the MDP said.

In its statement, the MDP compared statistics from when the party was in power to past two years and claimed there has been a significant decline in fish exports.

Mariculture exports increased from 340 tons to 919 tons in 2012, but declined to 773 tons in 2013, the MDP said.

Packaged and canned fish exports stood at 6000 tons per year between 2008 and 2011 but declined to 2204 tons in 2012 and 1907 tons in 2013.

Yameen’s decision to reinstate import duty on diesel has caused “great loss” to fishermen, the MDP said. The duty was discontinued during MDP’s term.

The MDP has also accused the government of opening up the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for “trawling in the name of long-line fishing.”

The party also expressed concern over declining fish prices since Yameen took power and condemned the government’s failure to fulfill a pledge to hand out MVR 10,000 (US$ 648) to every fisherman regardless of fish catch.

On November 28, local fish exporters announced they would be reducing fish prices paid to local fishermen following a drop in global fish prices.

The government reneged on the pledge to provide cash handouts and offered an insurance scheme instead. Fishermen must pay a premium to the government during months where fishing is good in order to be eligible for an allowance during lean months.

The party claimed the government has discontinued the monthly fisheries report, which details of the daily catch from the Islands, to hide the truth

Neither the Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Mohamed Shainee nor media officials were responding to calls at the time of press.

However, a Fisheries Ministry media official told local news agency Vnews that the report is available online.

Despite this claim the monthly report was unavailable on the ministry and only website had annual ‘Basic Fisheries Statistics‘, the last of which was published for the year 2012.

According to the Maldives Monetary Authority, fish purchases declined by 18 percent between January and May as compared to the same period in 2013.

However, the volume and earnings from fish exports increased in April 2014 when compared to April 2013, mainly due to increase in export of fresh and chilled yellowfin tuna.

While tourism is the Maldives’ largest economic sector, indirectly responsible for up to 70 percent of GDP and up to 90 percent of foreign exchange, fisheries is the country’s largest employer at over 40 percent.

The total fish catch has been declining each year since 2006 reaching 83.1 thousand metric tonnes in 2011, leading to fears about the impact of climate change and overfishing by better equipped fishing fleets on the borders of the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The European Union in November 2013 declined to extend the duty-free status of imported fish from the Maldives, following the country’s failure to comply with international conventions concerning freedom of religion.

The Maldives exports 40 percent of its US$100 million fishing industry to the EU, its single largest export partner by value.

Before January 2014 those exports are duty-free under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) program, a non-reciprocal trade agreement extended to developing countries.

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