This article first appeared on DhivehiSitee.com. Republished with permission
On Sunday, former President of Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, was arrested. The arrest warrant issued by Criminal Court stated “terrorism charges brought against the subject and fears that he may not attend the Court or go into hiding” as reason for arrest.
The evidence and substantiation for Court decision was given as, “how matters had transpired when a case against subject was heard at the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court, and Police Intelligence reports”. The arrest warrant was provided on the request of the Prosecutor General who was according to the arrest warrant, “investigating case”.
Till then, there had been no mention of terrorism charges against Nasheed by any authority nor had an investigation into terrorist activities by Nasheed taken place.
Local media soon reported the trial has been scheduled in Criminal Court for 4pm today, and it emerged that the Prosecutor General had filed new terrorism charges in Criminal Court after withdrawing the case against Nasheed pending in Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court for over two years as Nasheed challenged the cherrypicking of his trial bench by the Judicial Service Commssion and the procedural appeals dragged on without decision.
As the new trial begins in a couple of hours, there is more reason than ever before to object to the farce.
- The current Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin is a former Criminal Court judge, who worked as a junior judge under Criminal Court chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed who is himself the subject in the case against Nasheed.
- Media reports the Criminal Court has selected a bench of three judges – Judge Abdulla Didi, Judge Ahmed Rasheed and Judge Shujau Usman – for the case.
The first two are both former members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) who played crucial roles within JSC in both re-appointing Abdulla Mohamed as judge despite him not meeting criteria and pending serious misconduct issues, and in covering up misconduct after re-appointment.
Moreover, both carry bias against Nasheed evident in JSC records, especially in discussions of misconduct allegations against Judge Abdulla Mohamed filed with the JSC by the President’s Office in 2009 when Nasheed was in office.
Judge Didi served on the JSC from it’s establishment as an interim commission in 2008 till 2015 as the lower courts appointee. Ahmed Rasheed elected by the law community served on the JSC from 2009 to 2015 and was appointed a Criminal Court judge by the JSC just days ago.
The third, Shujau Usman, was re-appointed a Magistrate by JSC despite a criminal record and was one of three magistrates cherry-picked by the JSC for the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court bench for Nasheed’s case.
Nasheed’s trial then is not simply political persecution by the government of President Yameen but an already orchestrated trial, managed by the JSC, with the Prosecutor General and the Criminal Court bench already set against Nasheed and ready to avenge Abdulla Mohamed.
Meanwhile, heading the JSC today is Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed infamous for his white underpants and sex tapes gone viral on the internet.
Aishath Velezinee sat on the Judicial Services Commission from 2009-2011.
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Velezinee, Aishath will soon be arrested, convicted and jailed.
Sex lies and videotapes - you expect the worst and this lot somehow manage to exceed your worst expectations, yet while acting in their own predictable fashion. Agree with the article and will add that the whole thing -the coup that was "not a coup", the supreme court "nightclub" and election stalling fiasco, cherry picking dodgy judges while allowing the dogdiest of them all to stick around.. and now this kangaroo court..has been a farce, orchestrated from start to ..eventual finish(?) Why Maldivians should accept and put up with this and even whitewash this kind of behaviour is beyond the imagination of any human being capable of independent thought - and for want of words humanity. When will we say enough is enough?
this opinion piece, not fit to be published because it riddled with allegation. Nasheed may behave like despot forgiving for crimes committed against the people of Maldives, but justic must be served if a crime is committed. Nasheed let Maumoon and his henchmen with no trial for their crimes committed against Maldivian people.
Nasheed should face the law for his crime. He already did a mockery of law by taking refuge in Indian mission, so their is no reason not to believe he will not do the same to save his skin.
You can moderate this as much as u like.
It’s all drama fit for Bollywood and wanted by MissIndiaAgarwaltheThug, Commonwealth, Canada, Australia and of course, and as always the Brit who taught their form of “democracy” to the Actor. Has former PM of the UK (Mr. Blair the liar)ever confessed that there was never Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq after having invaded Iraq??? The form of democratic state ruled “by the people, for the people and of the people” is today is a misnomer.
Maldives will always be a corrupted country that even beats every Banana Republic on this planet. If you did not have a few beaches and nice resorts, you all will be eating your toe nails faster than it has grown.
#James Handy
Nasheed's arrest has been brewing for over 2 years if not longer. A Martyr in the making.
You are totally right about their beaches and resorts, which by the way, mostly employ foreign nationals, the corrupt government send in the police everytime TEAM members hand out as much as a leaflet, let alone hold a Union Meeting.
The Supreme court judges who bring in the white wine and the Singapore Hookers evertime they hold a closed session are still there.
Whilever that other pillar of Democracy, China bankrolls these scumbags and the paranoid Indians provide free boats and helicopters it will continue.
There is no hope, no salvation, as soon as the water rises and covers their prayer mats the decent Maldivians will realise the error of their
timidity and the corrupt will be in their safe villas in Australia snd Singapore, nobody will want to give them a home, except possibly, ISIL. Allah be merciful!
Look at those wannabe maldivians blithely defending the child abuser. Disgusting.
Mohamed Nasheed is not a terrorist.he is good person.