Day: March 8, 2015

Nasheed’s lawyers stage no-show citing insufficient time for preparation

Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s lawyers refused to appear in court today in protest of the Criminal Court’s alleged failure to provide adequate time to prepare defense.

Nasheed is accused of terrorism over the military detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012. If convicted, he faces a jail term or banishment between ten and 15 years.

In a letter to the Criminal Court at 8pm, lawyers Hisaan Hussein, Ahmed Abdulla Afeef, Ibrahim Riffath and Abdulla Shaairu excused themselves from the seventh hearing stating they had not had enough time to prepare.

State prosecutors were scheduled to screen audio and video evidence today. The hearing was initially scheduled for 4pm, but was delayed to 8pm.

Speaking to the press outside, Hisaan said the Prosecutor General’s Office had provided defence lawyers with unlabeled CDs this morning. Some were not functioning while others were left blank.

Judges Abdulla Didi, Abdul Bari Yoosuf and Sujau Usman began the hearing an hour late at 9pm. The defense team’s no-show was unacceptable, Didi said.

The Criminal Court had already ruled Nasheed had been afforded enough time, Judge Didi said. If lawyers disagreed with the court’s rulings, they could lodge an appeal at the High Court, but they cannot protest the court’s rulings or obstruct court proceedings, he continued.

The bench would consider penalizing Nasheed’s lawyers under contempt of court regulations, he warned.

Nasheed once again requested the bench for 15 additional days to examine state evidence.

But Didi adjourned tonight’s hearing ordering Nasheed to ensure lawyers turned up tomorrow or appoint new lawyers for tomorrow’s hearing.

After the hearing ended, Nasheed asked court staff to pass on the following message to the bench: “I cannot appoint lawyers by tomorrow. I am under custody in Dhoonidhoo.”

Nasheed was arrested on February 22 on the Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin’s claim the former president may abscond from justice. At the time of his arrest, Nasheed was not aware Muhsin had pressed new terror charges against him.

The first hearing was scheduled for the next day.

The new charges came after Muhsin withdrew previous charges of ordering an arbitrary detention in early February.

Nasheed appeared in court on February 23 with his arm in a makeshift sling after police officers manhandled and dragged him into the courtroom when he attempted to speak with journalists.

The former president was denied legal representation with the Criminal Court claiming lawyers must get appointed two days before a hearing is scheduled.

Nasheed pointed out he did know he would be charged with terrorism two days before. Judges then ruled he be kept in police custody until the end of the trial.

Nasheed’s lawyers have repeatedly requested for more time, claiming they required additional time to prepare for the new charges. But judges said the state had submitted the same documents during the previous arbitrary detention trial, and pointed out lawyers had been provided case documents in 2012.

At yesterday’s hearing, Nasheed said he preferred an immediate sentence over a trial without sufficient time to prepare his defense.

Nasheed’s lawyers have also pointed to what they call several irregularities in the case, including Judges Didi and Yoosuf having provided witness statements during the 2012 investigation into Judge Abdulla’s arrest.

PG Muhsin also had a conflict of interest in the case, they said, as he had been present at Judge Abdulla’s house at the time of his arrest.

The Criminal Court, however, ruled it had no conflict of interest and ordered state prosecutors and defense lawyers not to name them as witnesses.

Nasheed has also objected to police and military officers testifying against him, arguing they may be biased due to their role in his ouster in February 2012.

Judge Abdulla’s arrest sparked 22 consecutive nights of violent anti-government demonstrations that culminated in a police and military mutiny on the morning of February 7, 2012, forcing Nasheed to resign in what he subsequently called a “coup d’etat.”

Related to this story

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Defence Minister Jaleel leads “Sentence Nasheed now” motorbike rally

Defence Minister Moosa Ali Jaleel and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb led a motorcycle parade on Saturday calling for a speedy judgment in former President Mohamed Nasheed’s terrorism trial over the 2012 military detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

Jaleel was the chief of defence forces when Judge Abdulla was arrested and faces the same terrorism charges. If convicted, the pair face between 10 and 15 years in jail or banishment.

Senior government officials, ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MPs and hundreds of young men took party in the rally. They carried placards that read:  “Justice for Judge Abdulla,” “Sentence Nasheed now,” “Everyone is equal in front of the law.”

Jaleel has denied involvement in Judge Abdulla’s arrest, claiming the chief of defence forces had been reduced to a “ceremonial” official by then-Defence Minister Tholhath Kaleyfaanu.

Four state witnesses have backed Jaleel’s statement in court, claiming he had not participated in any military meetings prior to Judge Abdulla’s arrest.

Speaking after the rally, Adeeb called on the opposition to stop its nightly protests against Nasheed’s February 22 arrest and terrorism charges.

“Don’t make us take to the streets. These are Malé City’s youth. This is a very strong crowd. If these young men get angry it would not be good. That’s why we are with these young men in their homes. We are people who love peace, so don’t make us come out to the street,” Adeeb warned, according to Sun Online.

“We won’t give him [President Nasheed] anymore chances. You [the opposition] will also have to go home. Then we will also quietly stay home,” he added.

Tension has been high in Malé since Nasheed’s arrest. The former president’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Jumhooree Party (JP) have formed an alliance against what they call President Abdulla Yameen’s repeated constitutional violations and intimidation of political rivals.

The opposition claims Nasheed’s trial is unjust. Former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim who is standing trial for importing and possessing illegal weapons is being framed, they also claimed.

MDP today condemned Adeeb’s speech, accusing him of threatening the opposition with violence.

“MDP is alarmed by the threats of violence against opposition protesters, made by senior members of President Yameen’s administration,” a statement issued by the party today read.

MDP claimed that the bike rally was attended by “well-known gang members”.

“This is a desperate and dangerous escalation of the current crisis by the government. President Yameen’s administration is baring its fangs,” Spokesperson for MDP Hamid Abdul Gafoor said in the statement.

Three of the young men seen in the front-lines of the bike rally – Fazeel Ahmed, Mohamed Asif and Razzan Abduhrahmaan – had previously been charged with murders but were acquitted by the Criminal Court.

Fazeel had been charged with the murder of 15-year-old Ahmed Shaneed in 2008, while Asif and Razzan were charged with the 2012 murder of 33-year-old Ali Shifan.

The opposition has long accused Adeeb of illicit connections with gangsters. The tourism minister has dismissed the allegations.

When President Nasheed resigned in February 7, 2012 in the wake of a police and military mutiny, he accused Jaleel of downplaying the mutiny. Jaleel, who had served in the army for 30 years, retired after the controversial transfer of power.

Jaleel signed for the PPM last year and President Yameen appointed him as the Ambassador for Pakistan. When Nazim was dismissed from his cabinet post in January after the controversial weapons find, Yameen appointed Jaleel as his replacement.

Related to this story

Former chief of defence forces denies involvement in Judge Abdulla arrest

Chief Judge “took entire criminal justice system in his fist”: Afeef

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PPM wins Milandhoo council by-elections

The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has won two seats in the Shaviyani Atoll Milandhoo Island Council by-elections.

PPM candidates Mohamed Mansoor and Hassan Abduhrahman won the two seats against the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Jumhoory Party (JP) candidates.

“Winning the Milandhoo elections in this crucial time is an incredible win for the party,” PPM MP Abduraheem Abdulla told Haveeru.

“We won the elections because President Abdulla Yameen’s vision for the country. This win is for him.”

Mohamed Mansoor got 596 votes while Hassan Abduhrahmaan got 558. The JP candidate Mohamed Rasheed got 464 votes while MDP candidate Ahmed Azeem got 459 votes.

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CEDAW committee welcomes progress on women’s rights, expresses concern with child marriages, flogging and gender stereotypes

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has welcomed the Maldives’ progress on protecting women’s rights whilst expressing concern with child marriages, flogging and gender stereotypes in society.

In its concluding observations released last Friday (March 6) on the combined fourth and fifth periodic reports of the Maldives – reviewed at meetings on February 27 with a high-level delegation led by Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon – the committee welcomed progress achieved since the last review in 2007, including the adoption of a new penal code that includes a definition of rape.

The committee noted other legislative reforms such as the Sexual Harassment and Abuse Prevention Act of 2014, the Sexual Offences Act of 2014, the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act of 2013, the Domestic Violence Prevention Act of 2012, the Employment Act of 2008, and the new Constitution in 2008, “which removes provisions barring women from being elected as President and Vice-President.”

The committee also noted the establishment of the Family Protection Authority in 2012 and welcomed “forthcoming amendments to the Family Act to regulate the distribution of matrimonial assets upon divorce.”

The Maldives acceded to the UN Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in July 1993 with reservations to article 16, which deals with equality in marriage and family relations.

“We strongly believe that equality of women in all walks of life, within the family, and in public life, is indeed a prerequisite for social justice and inclusive development that benefits all segments of society,” said Foreign Minister Dunya in her opening remarks at the treaty reporting session.

She reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing emerging challenges such as stereotypical practices that hinders equal representation of women in society.

Issues of concern

Whilst welcoming legislative initiatives on improving access to justice, the committee expressed concern with “persistent barriers faced by women in accessing justice”.

Of particular concern was the “insufficient independence of the judiciary, bias and gender stereotypes among judges and law enforcement officials, the absence of gender sensitive procedures and the limited capacity of the police to deal with complaints from women about violations of their rights in a gender-sensitive manner.”

Noting “the high number of unregistered marriages in rural and remote areas, including child marriages,” the committee recommended setting an age limit of 16 for exceptional cases of underage marriages.

The committee also recommended the abolition of flogging for fornication “as a matter of urgency,” noting that flogging “disproportionately affect women and girls and deter them from reporting sexual offences.”

Moreover, the committee noted the “existing discriminatory provisions regarding the participation of women as witnesses and delays in amending the stringent evidentiary provisions required for sexual violence offences.”

The committee noted that marital rape was not criminalised in law, the lack of enforcement of the anti-domestic violence law, and the lack of resources for the Family and Child Service Centres and safe houses.

The committee suggested that social stigma attached to women who report abuse as well as the perception that domestic violence cases were private family matters deters reporting.

Traditional stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities of women in society meanwhile remain deeply entrenched, the committee observed, “which overemphasise the role of women as wives, mothers and caregivers, as well as prevent them from asserting their rights and actively participating in decision-making and other aspects of political and public life.”

The committee also expressed concern at “the growing trend in conservative interpretations of religion which encourage stereotypical patterns which negatively impact women and girls, as acknowledged by the State party during the dialogue. The Committee is further concerned about the emergence of cases of female genital mutilation in the State party, despite legislative prohibitions.”

Stereotypes as well as geographic constraints also limit girls’ access to higher education, the committee observed, noting “de facto restrictions on the re-entry of pregnant adolescent girls and married girls under the age of 18 in the formal educational system.”

Whilst noting the high representation of women in political parties, the committee noted that “social and cultural barriers continue to stigmatise women wishing to participate in political and public life which prevent them from running for public office.”

The committee noted the underrepresentation of women in parliament, the executive, the judiciary and decision-making level posts in the civil service.

“Further, it regrets the limited participation of women in local governance at community level, in particular in atolls, islands and city councils,” it stated.

On anti-trafficking, the committee expressed concern over “delays in establishing shelters for victims of trafficking and the absence of procedures for early victim identification, case management, and victim protection” and noted the “risk of internal trafficking for women and girls from remote islands placed in households in Male to access higher education opportunities.”

On health issues, the committee noted “limited access to obstetric health services, including pre- and post-natal services, for women living in remote areas,” “restricted access, in practice, to sexual and reproductive health services, for unmarried women and girls,” and “the absence of a study and data on the prevalence of unsafe and illegal abortion which is reportedly increasing.”

Reservations

The committee urged the Maldives to honour its commitment to withdraw its reservation to paragraph two of article 16, which states: “The betrothal and the marriage of a child shall have no legal effect, and all necessary action, including legislation, shall be taken to specify a minimum age for marriage and to make the registration of marriages in an official registry compulsory.”

The committee also recommended a review of the reservation to paragraph one of article 16, “with a view to fully withdrawing it, taking into consideration practices of countries with similar religious backgrounds and legal systems which have successfully harmonised their domestic legislation with international human rights obligations”.

Despite its ratification in 1993, the committee noted that the convention “has yet to be incorporated into its domestic legal system and can therefore not be applied by the courts” and expressed concern with the delay in conducting a gender impact analysis of existing laws.

The committee called on the state to pass gender equality legislation with a definition of discrimination in line with the convention.

Referring to the restructured Ministry of Law and Gender headed by the Attorney General, the committee said the move “weakened [the national machinery’s] institutional capacity to develop coherent and sustainable plans and policies and to ensure effective gender mainstreaming across relevant sectors” and expressed concern about the “the insufficient financial, human and technical resources” available to the ministry.

On the Supreme Court’s suo moto proceedings against members of the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) concerning its submission to the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Period Review last year, the committee said “such actions seriously undermine the independence of the commission.”

Related to this story

Amnesty calls for moratorium on flogging in Maldives

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Global change makers demand a fair trial for Nasheed

Global change makers have demanded a fair trial for former President Mohamed Nasheed, imprisoned ahead of a terrorism trial over the 2012 military detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

An open letter signed by 31 global activists and film makers, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jose Ramos-Horta, called on the international community to use all resources to “pressure the government to free” Nasheed and “desist in all human rights abuses against him immediately.”

Nasheed was arrested on Februrary 22 after Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin alleged the opposition leader may abscond from an unannounced terrorism trial scheduled for the next day.

Nasheed has denied ordering Judge Abdulla’s arrest. If convicted, he faces a jail term or banishment between ten and 15 years.

The letter’s prominent signatories include, environmentalist and co-founder of 350.org Bill McKibben, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, President of Friends of the Earth Erich Pica, and Oscar nominated documentary film maker Robert Stone.

“We firmly believe that international pressure on the regime can help to end the illegal and politically motivated trial against President Nasheed,” read the letter.

The Commonwealth, UN, EU, Canada, India, UK and Australia have expressed concern over Nasheed’s arrest, denial of legal representation, and mistreatment by the police.

Foreign Minister Dhunya Maumoon has previously condemned international statements of concern, saying: “No foreign power can tell Maldives what to do under President [Abdulla] Yameen.”

“To criticize us in public statements with lies or based with having only heard the opposition’s point of view is not acceptable. The government will not accept these statements and will not pay any attention to them,” Dunya said.

Also amongst the signatories are Director of acclaimed documentary “The Island President” Jon Shenk and Producers Dan Cogan, Richard Berge and Bonni Cohen.

Speaking to Huffington Post, Cogan called the proceedings Nasheed “a kangaroo court set up to convict him and it should be very concerning for anyone who believes in the rule of law and democratic government.”

Meanwhile, Former US Vice-President and climate change advocate Al Gore tweeted that the “eyes of the world” are watching Nasheed’s trial and said he must be given a “fair and just trial.”

The government has however claimed it has no influence over Nasheed’s trial, arguing charges were pressed by an independent Prosecutor General. President Yameen taking a stand on Nasheed’s trial amounted to interfering in the judiciary, the government has said.

“Judicial Assassination”

Addressing the Australian Parliament last week, Senator James McGrath described the trial against Nasheed as a “state planned judicial assassination,” and said President Yameen is becoming the “Robert Mugabe of the Indian Ocean.”

“[Nasheed] has been arrested on trumped-up charges, denied legal representation, assaulted by police and faces an unfair trial that will ultimately end in the denial of his  presidential ambitions,” said McGrath.

Mcgrath warned that President Yameen’s administration has “hastened its slide into tyranny,” with police conducting illegal arrests and searches, allegedly planting evidence and breaching constitutionally guaranteed rights.

He further said that the courts have “abrogated their duties under the democratic constitution of the Maldives,” by breaching the separation of powers, denying rights to legal representation and abusing fundamental judicial processes.

“The real purpose behind these actions by the Maldivian state is abundantly clear: to silence all opposition to Yameen’s government,” McGrath claimed.

The Australian senator for Queensland also alleged that the government is “all but refusing help” in the search to find Minivan News Journalist Ahmed Rilwan, who went missing in August last year in what is believed to be an abduction by radicalized gangs.

Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has also dropped the Maldives from an upcoming tour of Indian Ocean neighbours.

The Maldives Foreign Ministry claimed in a statement on Friday that the Prime Minister’s visit “has been postponed to a later date by mutual agreement,” but President’s Office Minister Mohamed Hussain Shareef ‘Mundhu’ told the Associated Press (AP) the Indian government informed the Maldives the visit was cancelled because the “local environment is not conducive.”

Nasheed’s arrest follows the arrest of former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim on charges of terrorism and treason. Nazim is currently standing trial on charges of importing and possessing illegal weapons after police discovered a pistol and three bullets in his apartment during a midnight raid.

Nazim has accused the police of planting the weapons to frame him. The police have dismissed Nazim’s claims.

Related to this story

Indian Prime Minister Modi cancels Maldives trip

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EU, UN join international chorus of concern over Nasheed’s arrest, terrorism trial

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Commonwealth, Canada express concern over denial of legal representation for former President Nasheed

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Economic growth relatively strong, but public debt ratio high: IMF

Economic growth in the Maldives is expected to remain “relatively strong in the near term,” but persistent fiscal deficits have driven up the public debt ratio to a high level, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.

In a press statement last week following its executive board’s 2014 Article IV consultation with the Maldives, the IMF noted that growth is estimated to have reached five percent last year on the back of strong tourism activity, low inflation levels, and reduction in the current account deficit.

“However, persistent and growing fiscal deficits have driven up the public debt ratio to a high level,” the IMF observed.

“The fiscal deficit increased to an estimated 7.8 percent of GDP in 2013 and, following increases in recurrent spending, the deficit is likely to have widened further in 2014. Sustained primary deficits have led to an increase in the public debt level from 52 percent in 2009 to 75 percent of GDP in 2014.”

However, presenting the 2015 state budget to parliament in November, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad said public debt was expected to reach MVR31 billion (US$2 billion) or 67 percent of GDP at the end of 2014.

Moreover, Jihad said the estimate for economic growth in 2014 was 8.5 percent, significantly higher than the IMF estimate.

In its monthly economic review for January, the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) revealed that the “total outstanding stock of government securities, which includes Treasury bills (T-bills) and Treasury bonds (T-bonds), rose by 53 percent in annual terms and reached MVR17.6 billion [US$1.1 billion] at the end of January 2015.”

“The annual increase in T-bonds reflects the conversion of a short term loan extended to the government by the MMA to T-bonds,” the central bank explained.

While the government’s forecast for economic growth in 2015 was 10.5 percent, the IMF expects growth to be around 5 percent this year.

Growth in 2014 was driven by “a rapid expansion from Asian markets and a tepid recovery from Europe,” the IMF noted.

“Higher tourism exports and subdued global food and fuel inflation have helped reduce the current account deficit to around 8.4 percent of GDP in 2014; and following significant data revisions, the current account is now substantially smaller than previously estimated. Lower oil prices have improved the outlook for the current account and inflation in 2015,” the IMF explained.

“Gross official reserves have risen to around $614 mn (2.8 months imports). Financial soundness indicators are slowly improving, monetary conditions are loose, but credit growth is subdued at just 0.5 percent year on year to November 2014.”

Reining in the fiscal deficit

The IMF welcomed the government’s cost-cutting and revenue raising measures for 2015 – intended to rein in the fiscal deficit -including imposing a green tax, acquiring fees from Special Economic Zones (SEZs), raising import duties, a public employment freeze, and better targeting of subsidies.

“However, further fiscal adjustment measures would be needed to place debt ratios firmly on a downward path,” the IMF cautioned.

Moreover, the IMF noted that “the fiscal adjustment envisaged in the 2015 budget will have a mildly negative effect on growth.”

“There is also some upside potential if lower oil prices are sustained. However, with limited policy buffers, the economy is vulnerable to fiscal slippages and inward spillovers. In the event of large fiscal overruns relative to the authorities’ targets, borrowing costs and monetization could increase, which would weaken the external position,” the press release stated.

In addition to the proposed revenue raising – which it suggested would “only have a temporary effect” – the IMF advised that “durable fiscal adjustment, with a focus on expenditure restraint, will be needed to place the public debt-to-GDP ratio on a downward path over the medium term, consistent with the Fiscal Responsibility Law.”

The IMF executive board also welcomed “the authorities’ commitment to avoiding the monetization of the fiscal deficit, which will help direct monetary policy at supporting the exchange rate regime and build buffers.”

The directors “supported plans to make greater use of market-based financing for government debt, including by developing the government securities market” and welcomed “the improvement in financial soundness indicators, and called for continued efforts to strengthen financial supervision, including measures to ensure uniform high standards for institutions that decide to operate in special economic zones.”

The IMF also suggested the stabilised exchange rate regime was “appropriate for Maldives,” welcomed “the increase in official reserves, and recommended continued strengthening of the official reserves position.”

On key medium-term objectives, the IMF recommended public service delivery and economic diversification and welcomed “proposals for establishing regional hubs and improving inter-island connectivity.”

“Directors stressed that strict ring-fencing of tax exemptions for special economic zones will be necessary to preserve the tax base. They also emphasized that scaling up infrastructure investment should be implemented efficiently in order to boost growth potential,” the press release stated in conclusion.

“Directors welcomed the significant recent improvements in macroeconomic statistics, and encouraged the authorities to continue to strengthen data quality and availability, including adopting a statistics law to enhance data provision, to assist policy decisions.”

Related to this story

Maldives economy “relatively buoyant” but fiscal imbalances continue to growth: IMF

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State prosecutors influencing witnesses, claim Nasheed’s lawyers

Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s lawyers objected last night to the state’s alleged influencing of witnesses in a terrorism trial over the military detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

Prosecutor Abdulla Rabiu admitted state prosecutors had met with witnesses, and shared statements they had provided to two separate 2012 investigations both by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and the police in order to “refresh memories. ”

Rabiu stressed the meetings were routine, but Nasheed’s lawyer Hisaan Hussein said refreshing a witness’s memory amounted to influencing witnesses.

Two of three police officers who testified in Nasheed’s trial so far and Judge Abdulla’s sister-in-law Sobira said they had met with state prosecutors and reread their statements before testifying.

If convicted, the opposition leader faces a jail term or banishment between ten and 15 years.

Judge Abdulla’s arrest sparked 22 consecutive nights of violent anti-government demonstrations that culminated in a police and military mutiny on the morning of February 7, 2012, forcing Nasheed to resign in what he subsequently called a “coup d’etat.”

Abducted

Testifying via telephone last night, Judge Abdulla’s wife, Aminath Shareef, and sister-in-law, Sobira, said Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) officers had forcibly taken the judge from his home on January 16.

Despite Judge Abdulla’s mother-in-law’s repeated requests for a court warrant, masked officers pushed the door open and entered the dining room where Judge Abdulla was having dinner.

They took him by the hand, and ordered him to accompany them outside. They refused Judge Abdulla’s request to be allowed inside his room to change clothes, forcing him to change his trousers in the hallway. MNDF officers surrounded him at the time.

Aminath said she refused to let go of her husband’s hand, but an MNDF officer forced them apart.

Sobira said officers did not answer the family’s questions on where Judge Abdulla was being taken.

Despite having said she remembered former Criminal Court Judge and current Prosecutor General Muhthaz Mushin being present during the arrest at their home in her testimony to the HRCM, Sobira last night said she did not remember if he had been present at all.  She said she did not know who Muhsin was at the time.

Nasheed’s lawyers objected to witnesses testifying by telephone, but Judge Abdulla Didi said the procedure was routine.

Hatred

Chief Superintendent of Police Abdul Mannan Yoosuf also testified last night, claiming Nasheed said he would never release Judge Abdulla and would not let the judge within 100 meters of a courtroom during a meeting with the police after the judge’s arrest.

Nasheed objected to Mannan testifying, saying the officer harboured deep animosity towards him.

Judges blocked defence lawyer’s attempts at questioning Mannan on his whereabouts during February 7, when he had received his promotion and whether he had called for Nasheed’s resignation.

Judge Didi said Nasheed should have raised objections before a witness was called to the stand, but lawyers countered stating they had not had adequate time to prepare the former president’s defence.

Lawyers argued Nasheed had first been charged with arbitrary detention, but was now facing new terror charges. They once again requested 30 extra days to prepare for the new charges.

The Criminal Court refused saying the same case documents were used for the new charges and said Nasheed’s lawyers had been provided the documents in 2012.

Judge Didi said witness statements only consisted of one or two pages, suggesting lawyers did not require much preparation before hearings.

Nasheed said he preferred an immediate sentence over a trial without adequate time for defense. His next hearing has been scheduled for 4pm today. The state is to present documentary evidence against the former president.

Judge Didi assured Nasheed he would be allowed to view or hear documentary evidence along with his lawyers before the hearing.

Nasheed had previously contested the credibility of police and military officers as state witnesses, and contended the role of the police and military officers in his February 2012 ouster and Judge Abdulla’s arrest raised questions over their trustworthiness.

On March 2, the presiding bench waved away the concerns of Nasheed’s lawyers, who objected that two of the presiding judges, and the Prosecutor General, had provided witness testimony during the HRCM investigation.

The judges also warned President Nasheed’s legal team not to speak to journalists in a “manner that might defame the judiciary.”

Related to this story

Chief of Defense Forces testifies in Nasheed, Tholhath terrorism trials

Nasheed contests credibility of police and military witnesses in terrorism trial

Judges Didi and Yoosuf refuse to step down from Nasheed’s terrorism trial

Nasheed denies ordering Judge Abdulla arrest, granted three days to answer charges

Former President Nasheed arrives in court with arm in makeshift sling

Nasheed denied right to appoint lawyer and appeal “arbitrary” arrest warrant, contend lawyers

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