A French tourist, aged 33 years, who was reported missing during snorkeling on Wednesday has been discovered dead this morning.
The tourist was staying at Filitheyo Island Resort in Faafu Atoll.
Police revealed that the body was found 30 meters underwater at 9:00 am this morning.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Former opposition MP Abdulla Jabir has been jailed upon his return from Malaysia to the Maldives.
The former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP was sentenced to one year jail sentence in February for refusal to provide a urine sample during a police raid on Hondaidhoo Island in November 2012.
He was temporarily released on April 25 for a three month period to undergo medical tests in Malaysia.
According to the Maldives Correctional Services, Jabir is expected to submit medical records within seven days.
The Prosecutor General also charged Jabir over possession of cannabis but the Criminal Court acquitted by the MP citing insufficient evidence.
Charges of alcohol possession against Jabir are pending at the Criminal Court.
(0)Dislikes(0)The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has secured a 43-seat simple majority of parliament with the signing of Jumhooree Party (JP) MP Mohamed Abdulla ‘Muhamma’.
The MP for Ihavandhoo and former comedian-actor handed over his membership form to President Abdulla Yameen at a ceremony in Muleeage last night.
Speaking to press at the official presidential residence, Muhamma said he had pledged to work with the government when he contested the Ihavandhoo seat through the ruling coalition, adding that it was also the wish of his constituents.
The main reason for switching to the ruling party was “the progress of President Yameen’s economic policy,” he said.
Muhamma said his work in parliament would become easier as all MPs of Haa Alif atoll were now with the PPM.
“My constituents, too, want sewerage and harbour construction and development. This can be best achieved if I work with the government in the Majlis,” he said.
Backing the MPs’ stance, President Yameen told reporters that parliamentarians were joining the PPM to “play a big role together with the government” to ensure development of their constituencies.
“The second [reason] we feel is that citizens in the atolls as well as Malé believe that political activities have been sufficiently conducted in the Maldives during the past ten years. But it has not brought about either the economic development to the country it should have or prosperity for individuals and contentment or progress for businesses,” Yameen said.
The PPM took office with the economy as the “main agenda item” or the highest priority, he added.
“So I believe that members of the People’s Majlis are joining us – and citizens are waiting patiently and supporting the government’s efforts – to give us this opportunity for five years, because they are awaiting economic development and positive changes in the country,” Yameen said.
Two former JP MPs – Milandhoo MP Hassan Mufeed Abdul Qadir and Nolhivaram MP Hussain Areef – who switched allegiance to PPM had also said they were urged by their constituents to join the ruling party to speed up development of their constituencies.
Majority
Although the PPM won 33 seats in the March 22 parliamentary elections, four out of five independent MPs, three opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs, and two JP MPs have since switched to the ruling party.
With its newest member, the PPM now has 43 MPs in the 85-member house, while coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) has five MPs.
The opposition MDP has 23 MPs while the JP’s parliamentary group is reduced to 12 MPs. The religious conservative Adhaalath Party has one MP and Madaveli MP Muaz Mohamed Rasheed remains the sole independent.
The Progressive Coalition – comprised of the PPM, JP, and MDA – contested the parliamentary polls jointly with the 85 constituencies divided among the pro-government parties.
However, the PPM severed its coalition agreement with the JP after the coalition partner’s leader, Gasim Ibrahim, ran for the post of Majlis speaker despite the PPM fielding its senior MP Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed as the ruling coalition’s candidate.
In the wake of the coalition’s breakup, President Yameen sacked Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim and other JP political appointees, whilst cabinet ministers on slots assigned for the JP – Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim and Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed – joined the PPM.
Home Minister Umar Naseer – appointed as part of the coalition agreement with the JP – is meanwhile facing criminal prosecution on charges of disobedience to order.
Following the loss of two JP MPs last month, Gasim claimed at a press conference that the MPs had told him that the government had threatened to cease development of islands in their constituencies.
The JP leader heavily criticised the pair for allegedly reneging on an agreement signed under oath “before God Almighty” to remain in the JP until the end of their five-year terms.
Gasim said he had heard that the pair were offered MVR10 million (US$648,508) each for the transfer.
The business tycoon also claimed to have provided MVR20 million (US$1.2 million) as financial assistance to the PPM’s parliamentary campaign.
Following his third-place finish with 23.37 percent of the vote in last year’s presidential election, Gasim initially announced that the JP would remain neutral. However, the JP’s council decided to endorse Yameen against MDP candidate, former President Mohamed Nasheed, three days before the second round of the polls on November 16.
(0)Dislikes(0)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.”
(0)Dislikes(0)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.
(0)Dislikes(0)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.
(0)Dislikes(0)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.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Russian Foreign Ministry has described the actions of Maldivian authorities as “outraging” after the US secret service apprehended Russian citizen Roman Seleznyov at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport on Saturday (July 5).
The US Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that Seleznyov was arrested after having been indicted for hacking into point of sale systems at retailers throughout the United States between October 2009 and February 2011.
As well as accusing the US of kidnapping Seleznyov – the son of Russian MP Valery Seleznyov, Russian diplomats have been quoted as condemning the role of the Maldives.
“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.
“We demand that the Maldives’ government provides necessary explanations,” officials told Russian news agency ITAR-TASS.
Russian diplomats also said that the US had confirmed Seleznyov had been put on a private jet by US officials and taken to the US Pacific Ocean territory of Guam.
Seleznyov’s father told ITAR-TASS today that any charges should have been brought through the Maldives’ courts.
“At present, it is the same for me whether Roman Seleznyov is guilty or not. But if American authorities had real evidence of his implication in the crime, they should have brought some charges through the Maldives’ court,” said the MP.
“No one had the right to take him anywhere without the sanction issued by the Maldives’ court. And here many questions to law enforcement agencies of the Maldives arise,” Valery Seleznyov was quoted as saying.
The US government has described the detainee as “one of the world’s most prolific traffickers of stolen information”, noting that the arrest “reflects the hard work by the U.S. Secret Service and our interagency and international partners”
The statement from the Department of Homeland Security did not reveal details of Seleznyov’s arrest, with no mention made of the Maldives.
“This important arrest sends a clear message: despite the increasingly borderless nature of transitional organized crime, the long arm of justice – and this Department – will continue to disrupt and dismantle sophisticated criminal organizations,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson.
Speaking during a celebration to mark US independence day earlier this week, Maldives Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon pledged continued assistance to the US in suppressing terrorism, organised crimes, drug trafficking, and other security issues.
Dunya also thanked the US for previous assistance in these areas.
The US granted Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System – or PISCES – came into use in the Maldives last year after a deal with Malaysian IT firm Nexbis was terminated.
The system – cited by local media as flagging the arrival of Seleznyov in the country – was criticised by the outgoing Malaysian firm as being no more than a “terrorist tracking system”.
Minivan News was unable to obtain comment from immigration or police officials at the time of publication.
(0)Dislikes(0)Parliament’s finance committee has approved President Abdulla Yameen’s proposal to relocate 704 out of 1,500 housing units, planned for the southern four atolls, to Hulhumalé.
The 1,500 housing units were originally planned to be constructed in Gaaf Alif, Gaaf Dhaal, Fuvahmulah, and Addu City with a MVR2.5 billion (US$162 million) loan secured from the Chinese EXIM bank under President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration.
The request to move 704 units to Hulhumalé was first made by President Dr Mohamed Waheed in December 2012, but denied by parliament at the time.
President Yameen, who has pledged to develop a ‘youth city’ in Hulhumalé with a population of 50,000, recently requested the same change, stating there is “no need at present” to build more than 796 housing units in the southern atolls under the project.
Yameen’s request, which was approved on Monday by the finance committee, has now been sent to the Majlis floor for approval.
At Monday’s committee meeting, the proposition to approve the request was made by ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Riyaz Rasheed who said it was not feasible to develop all the units in the southern atolls.
He proposed to accept the president’s request and to pass a report compiled by the previous Majlis’ finance committee, in response to President Waheed’s request in 2012.
The report states that the committee approves the decision to relocate housing units from four southern atolls to Malé because the Ministry of Housing has said in a letter that this decision was made after a ‘housing needs assessment’ in those atolls.
The 13 member committee has six members from the ruling PPM, two from the Jumhooree Party (JP) and one member from the ruling coalition party the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).
However, the decision was met with fierce opposition from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) who have four MPs in the committee.
Addu city’s Maradhoo MP Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef from the MDP proposed to seek further information on the issue by summoning Minister of Housing and Minister of Housing to the committee, but the motion received just three votes in favor.
Shareef accused the government of trying to isolate islands other than Malé and described the decision to relocate housing units as a betrayal of Addu people.
He said the initial plan to develop all 1,500 units in the southern atolls was also based on a feasibility study and a proposal by the MDP administration and was focused on relieving congestion in Male’ area.
Responding to Shareef’s comments, PPM’s Addu Feydhoo MP Ibrahim Didi said the government is not acting against Addu people and he has no objection to the government decision as Feydhoo does not have space for the construction of those housing units.
MDP parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Solih said the party has no issue with the government changing projects to fit their policies, but the concern is over not knowing the details of the justification for such a change.
The issue of regional disparities in development were highlighted in the UNDP’s Human Development Index report which argued that regional inequalities remained a “major challenge” towards human development.
(0)Dislikes(0)