Adhaalath Party urges government to free ex defense minister

The religious Adhaalath Party (AP) has called on the government to free former defense minister Mohamed Nazim, who is currently in police custody on charges of terrorism and treason.

In a statement released on Wednesday, AP said an illegal weapons possession trial scheduled for 4pm today is unjust and said the charges against the former minister and his wife Afaaf Abdul Majeed are questionable.

“We urge Colonel (Rtd) Nazim to be freed immediately, and call on the state to protect him and his wife’s constitutional rights, which have been violated.”

The party also called on the state to stop unjust prosecutions against any citizen, cease brutality, and urged President Abdulla Yameen’s administration to refrain from influencing the judiciary. Failure to do so may destroy the separation of powers enshrined in the Maldives’ constitution, the statement read.

The AP currently holds one cabinet post in President Yameen’s cabinet. It has decided to remain with the government despite its ally Jumhooree Party’s decision to leave the ruling coalition.

Nazim was arrested on February 10 after Police Special Operations (SO) officers claimed to have found a pistol and an improvised explosive device in his apartment in a late night raid on January 18.

However, Nazim has denied the allegations with his legal team repeatedly stating that the items were planted in his home in order to frame him.