Tag: maldives news

Hundreds urge Criminal Court to release Nasheed’s court proceedings

Hundreds of opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters today urged Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed to release a transcript of court proceedings necessary for the appeal of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s 13-year jail sentence.

In a letter to Judge Abdulla, over a hundred signatories noted the ten-day appeal period would expire on Monday, March 23, and urged the court to release court proceedings without further delay.

The High Court subsequently informed Nasheed’s lawyers that the appeal period would expire on March 26 (Thursday).

Nasheed was convicted of terrorism on March 13 over the January 2012 military detention of Judge Abdulla in a trial many international and domestic observers called a “travesty of justice.”

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and the UN Special Rapporteur on Independence of Lawyers and Judges Gabriela Knaul last week urged the Maldives to guarantee that Nasheed’s appeal would respect the most stringent fair trial standards and observe due process.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Nasheed’s lawyer, Hassan Latheef, said the Criminal Court had only provided a summary of the judgment, and said the full court proceedings were necessary for a strong appeal.

Latheef said the High Court’s decision to discount weekends in the new appeal period demonstrated the judiciary’s extraordinary treatment of Nasheed’s case.

The Supreme Court in January issued new regulations reducing the maximum period of appeal from 90 days to ten days. On March 5, in an announcement online, the Supreme Court said the ten day appeal did not include weekends or the day the verdict was issued.

The MDP has previously accused the Criminal Court of deliberately thwarting Nasheed’s attempts to launch an appeal. Meanwhile, the legal team in a statement last week noted the Criminal Court contravened the Supreme Court’s appeal regulations by providing the judgment summary a week late.

Speaking to Minivan News today, MDP MP Eva Abdulla said the possibility of the judiciary providing Nasheed adequate time to prepare an appeal seemed “unlikely, to say the least.”

Eva, MDP MP Ahmed Falah and Independent MP Ahmed Mahloof led the group delivering the letters to the Criminal Court. The crowd set out from the MDP offices towards the Criminal Court at noon, but were blocked at the President’s Office and the Supreme Court.

MP Falah rubs wrists after being handcuffed
MP Falah rubs wrists after being handcuffed

Police detained Falah in a scuffle near the President’s Office. He was handcuffed and taken to the Police HQ, but was immediately released.

When the group reached the Criminal Court, they were pushed behind barricades in a narrow alleyway and police escorted each letter bearer separately into the Justice Building.

After submitting his letter, 27-year-old Shammoon Jaleel said he did not believe justice was possible in the Maldives at present and he had also put a suggestion into a suggestion box at the Criminal Court asking the judiciary to “tear down the justice building and build a park there.”

Shimla Adam, 45, pointed out Nasheed’s legal team did not have enough time to review court proceedings and lodge an appeal even if the Criminal Court provided the report today.

“I do not think President Nasheed will get any justice. I have no hope of things getting better in this country,” she said.

President Abdulla Yameen has previously called on all parties to respect the Criminal Court’s verdict, stating Nasheed had “a constitutionally guaranteed right of appeal” to challenge his conviction on terrorism charges at the High Court.

UN rights experts Knaul and Zeid have called on the Maldives to allow international observers including jurists to attend Nasheed’s appeal hearings.

This article was amended to include a statement by the Supreme Court which said the appeal deadline does not include weekends or the day a verdict is issued. 

 

Likes(5)Dislikes(0)

Ex-defence minister’s brother urges police to disobey police chief

Former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim’s brother last night called on Maldives Police Services to disobey unlawful orders issued by Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed.

Speaking at the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) nightly demonstrations, Adam Azim suggested Waheed was responsible for ordering brutality and unlawful actions against the public, and said individual police officers would ultimately pay the price.

“I am advising the Maldives Police Services, your leaders will make you do wrong. Areca palms will be cut. They will make you raid people’s homes. They will make you arrest people unlawfully. They will force you to be brutal towards your own people. Then Hussain Waheed and his associates will run off and hide,” he said at a first appearance at an opposition protest.

Nazim is currently under house arrest, standing trial for smuggling illegal weapons. The former defence minister claims the pistol and three bullets police discovered at his home during the January 18 raid were planted by Specialist Operations (SO) officers on the orders of Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb.

The retired colonel was subsequently dismissed, and arrested on February 10 on additional charges of terrorism and treason. Azim, who was the Managing Director of State Trading Organization (STO), was also dismissed from his position on March 9.

Nazim said Adeeb had engineered the setup after he spoke out against police SWAT officers chopping down all of Malé City’s areca palms in October. The tourism minister has since dismissed the allegations.

State prosecutors in court last week said documents on a pen drive confiscated along with the weapons suggested Nazim was plotting to harm President Abdulla Yameen, Waheed and Adeeb with the financial backing of opposition Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Group and STO.

The MDP and former ruling coalition partner JP formed an alliance “in defence of the Constitution” at the same time as the police raid on Nazim’s home. Since the former defence minister’s arrest on February 10, the opposition has held nightly demonstrations.

MDP leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed was arrested on February 22, swiftly brought to trial on terrorism charges and sentenced to jail on March 13. Azim first appeared at an opposition rally on Thursday night, where he praised Nasheed, and called on the government to release all “political prisoners.”

Speaking last night to a crowd of hundreds outside the Maldives National Defence Force’s (MNDF) Kalhuthukkala Koshi (KK), Azim urged security forces to be cautious in following their superior’s orders, stating: “We know a lot of things that Hussein Waheed is responsible for.”

Azim last night also warned Waheed he would be penalised for his role in allegedly framing Nazim.

“You do not have much protection either. There will come a day when you lose your position. We will make sure of it,” he said.

“When you have status, honour and power what you are supposed to do is serve for the people with honour, pride and respect. Not brutalising your people!” he added.

Following Nazim’s arrest and trial, several key regime supporters – including MP Ahmed Mahloof and Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla – have joined the opposition under the banner “Maldivians against brutality.” Defectors have accused Adeeb of corruption, links with organised crime and gangs, and intimidation of political rivals.

Mahloof at an opposition rally on Thursday night said Adeeb bought a US$80,000 BMW and$100,000 ring for the first lady on her birthday, which he said demonstrated President Yameen encouraged embezzlement of state funds.

Adeeb, at a press conference yesterday, hit back saying Mahloof was being paid to make false allegations. The MP had also failed to pay back loans borrowed from close business associates, the tourism minister alleged.

Nazim’s family, meanwhile, requested the former defence minister be flown abroad for urgent medical care. At a hearing on Thursday, lawyer Maumoon Hameed said Nazim had a life threatening medical condition.

He was recently transferred from police custody at the Dhoonidhoo Island detention centre to house arrest for health reasons.

The former defence minister played a key role in MDP leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation half-way through his term on February 7, 2012.

Photo by @adamadeem on Twitter 

 

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Ruling coalition to celebrate by-election victories with fireworks

The ruling coalition is planning to celebrate Saturday’s council by-election victories with fireworks in Malé tonight.

The fireworks display is due to take place around 8:30pm at the artificial beach.

According to provisional results from the Elections Commission, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdul Mufeed won the by-election in Haa Alif Muraidhoo for a vacant seat on the island council with 208 votes (45.41 percent) whilst his closest contender, independent candidate Mohamed Fuwad, received 143 votes (31.22 percent).

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Aishath Visama received 107 votes (23.36 percent).

In the contest for the Meedhoo constituency seat on the Dhaalu atoll council, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) candidate Mohamed Mamdhooh secured 997 votes (60.94) against MDP candidate Salim al-Sabah with 639 votes (39.06 percent).

The Meedhoo constituency is represented in parliament by MDA leader and resort tycoon, MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed.

Voter turnout was 70.25 percent in Meedhoo and 80.56 percent in Muraidhoo.

Speaking at a press conference last night following the announcement of the by-election results, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb declared President Abdulla Yameen would win re-election in one round of voting in 2018.

Adeeb said the victories for PPM and coalition partner MDA candidates showed the government’s support was not 25 percent as the opposition claims.

A majority of the public was behind the current administration and supported its policies, he suggested.

“We will show results through the ballot box,” said the PPM deputy leader, condemning the opposition’s ongoing nightly anti-government demonstrations.

After former coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP) withdrew support for the government and formed an alliance with the MDP last month, the opposition has contended that the current government lacks legitimacy and does not have a popular mandate to govern.

In the cancelled first round of the 2013 presidential election, PPM candidate Yameen polled 25 percent.

After polling 29.72 percent in the first round re-vote, Yameen won the second round run-off against former President Mohamed Nasheed after the JP decided to form a coalition with PPM.

JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim finished third place in the re-vote with 23.43 percent and endorsed Yameen after initially declaring he would remain neutral.

Adeeb meanwhile noted last night that the ruling coalition won the recent by-elections after the JP left the coalition.

Street protests could neither produce results nor weaken the government, he said.

The nightly protests were also adversely affecting local businesses and causing disruptions in the capital, he added.

Adeeb also slammed former ally Adhaalath Party (AP) for joining the opposition campaign, contending that its leaders have “betrayed” the religious conservative party’s members.

“GMR is now OK, Denmark is also OK [for AP leaders],” he said, referring to AP President Sheikh Imran Abdulla spearheading nationalistic protests calling for the cancellation of the Indian infrastructure giant’s agreement to manage the international airport and the party’s allegations that former President Mohamed Nasheed pursued anti-Islamic policies.

At a press conference last week, Adeeb said the AP’s leaders have made “a career” out of toppling governments.

Adeeb also claimed that the ruling coalition has won six out of eight by-elections held since the 2013 presidential election. However, 12 council by-elections have been called since the presidential poll, half of which were won by opposition candidates.

In several by elections, opposition candidates won by default as the ruling coalition did not field candidates.

If there’s an election, it’s won by PPM or MDA. Therefore, we must have fireworks in Malé tomorrow, PPM PG Leader Ahmed Nihan said. 

All are invited. We secure results from the ballot box, a PPM supporter said.

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

MP Fayyaz Ismail released

MP Fayyaz Ismail was released last night by the Criminal Court after having been arrested during a protest on March 6.

Most opposition supporters arrested during the protests, including members from the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) leadership, had been released earlier on the condition they do not participate in protests for a period of 60 days.

But Fayyaz refused the condition, telling the Criminal Court that the judiciary could not obstruct a right enshrined in the Constitution. The Criminal Court then remanded him for a further 15 days.

According to local media, Fayyaz was taken back to Dhoonidhoo detention center yesterday, though police claimed it was only to pick up some of his belongings.

“The court ordered him to be released. At that point, they cannot take him back to the Dhoonidhoo, even to pick up his belongings. They should not be allowed to act like this,” said MDP Spokesman Imthiyaz Fahmy.

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

US$40,000 stolen from Ocean Travels’ office

Over US$40,000 (MVR616, 800) was stolen during a break-in at the offices of Ocean Travels, at the State Trading Organisation trade centre on Thursday night (March 19).

The robbery was reported on Friday night. No arrests have been made yet, the police said.

“They found out their safe was broken into when they opened the office,” said police.

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Deputy Gender Minister resigns over “unacceptable” direction of the government

Deputy Minister for Law and Gender Sidhatha Shareef has resigned, saying she could no longer defend the government’s policies.

The Adhaalath Party member announced her resignation at the party’s offices today (March 22), declaring her support for the opposition alliance’s campaign against brutality and injustice.

“The direction this government is taking leads towards a lot of problems. Since I have worked towards justice and the empowerment of human rights for such a long time, I am unable to accept what is going on now,” said Sidhatha.

Adhaalath Party leaders last week formed an alliance with the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party to bring an end to “the brutality of President Yameen’s regime”.

Speaking at the alliance’s first rally last weekend, AP President Sheikh Imran Abdulla said the current government’s corruption included the jailing of the former President Mohamed Nasheed after an “unfair” trial, the “framing” of former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, the targeting of Jumhooree Party Leader Gasim Ibrahim’s businesses, and the “unconstitutional” removal of former Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim and former Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain.

 

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Government targeting Gasim unfairly, says MDP Vice President

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Vice President Mohamed Shifaz told VTV last night that Maldivians should not wait and watch while the government targeted the Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim’s businesses.

Shifaz said that Gasim had contributed greatly to the nation and that he was diligent when it came to paying required taxes to the state.

“If we ignore these things today, there would not be a country tomorrow and the citizens would have nowhere to go and no one to turn to for help,” he told the station, owned by Gasim’s Villa Group.

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) on March 1 ordered Gasim’s Villa Group to pay pay the state US$100 million within 30 days.

Gasim is currently contesting MIRA’s order. The government said Villa owed the state money in rent and fines for several islands and lagoons leased to the company.

Also speaking on VTV yesterday, the JP’s legal secretary, Imad Solih, said that Gasim had received the ‘Ran Laari’ award in 2014, given in recognition of those who pay the highest amount in taxes to the state.

“A single opinion causes the entire degradation of an airport and a simple political stand results in the seizing of assets. Is this justice and equality?” asked Imad.

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Government appeals for cooperation with Independence Day celebrations

The government has appealed for public cooperation for planned events to celebrate the upcoming 50th Independence Day on July 26.

“The celebration of Independence Day should involve everyone. I call on every Maldivian to cooperate with the celebrations,” President’s Office Minister Abdulla Ameen said last week.

A special office was launched on Thursday (March 19) to oversee events planned by the government to mark the golden jubilee of independence.

“The Independence Day celebrations are supervised by the president. The celebrations are carried out with the president’s opinion and advice,” Ameen said at a ceremony after opening the office.

Scheduled events include sky diving, a swimming competition, a bicycle race and a water fountain laser show.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has meanwhile accused the government of using the celebrations as a cover to “rob civil liberty” and “empower gangs.”

“From every event we see the government-backed gangs getting more powerful. There is absolutely no freedom whatsoever for the opposition or its supporters. The government with their minority and the so-called peaceful youths are terrorising every other citizen,” MDP Vice President Mohamed Shifaz told Minivan News.

While the Maldives gained independence working alongside development partners and friendly nations, Shifaz contended that the Maldives was now isolated in the international area.

“We got independence by working together with the rest of the world. But 50 years later with President Yameen’s foreign policy Maldives has been isolated from the rest of the world now,” he said.

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Saudi Arabia assured loan assistance for airport development, says Dr Shainee

Saudi Arabia has assured loan assistance at a low interest rate from the Saudi Fund to develop the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr Mohamed Shainee has revealed.

Speaking to reporters at the airport yesterday after accompanying President Abdulla Yameen during a state visit to the kingdom, Dr Shainee said Saudi Arabia has offered a lower interest rate than other parties the government has approached.

“They have indicated they would give us a loan with about two percent [interest],” he said.

A Maldivian delegation would depart for Saudi Arabia in the next week for further discussions, he added.

Last month, the government revealed that the estimated cost of the INIA development and expansion project was US$845 million. The government had previously announced it was seeking a US$600million loan from China and Japan for airport development.

While a project for building a second runway has been awarded to Chinese Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG), development of the airport terminal was awarded to Japanese Taisei Corporation.

61324_7af2b0d2-b_President Yameen meanwhile told journalists that several bilateral agreements between Saudi Arabia and Maldives would be signed in the next two months.

The Maldives sought assistance in various fields, such as education, health, and foreign investment, Yameen said, and “constructive” discussions took place with government ministers during the visit.

During the state visit – made at the invitation of the Saudi king – President Yameen met the Saudi Arabian ministers for education, defence, petroleum and mineral resources, and finance.

The Saudi Arabian government has pledged 150 scholarships for Maldivian students to pursue higher education in Saudi institutions, he noted, stressing that relations between the countries have been significantly strengthened as a result of the visit.

Reject “foreign interference”

A joint communique issued on March 18 noted that President Yameen “held talks with the Custodian of 61346_742a4339-6_the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud in an amicable atmosphere that reflected the bonds of brotherhood that unite the two countries and the excellent relations between them.”

“The two sides confirmed their intentions to continue fortifying their bilateral cooperation in all fields including foreign affairs, defence, Islamic affairs, judiciary, economy, commerce, investment, education, and health for the purpose of accomplishing their common interests and providing support to the issues of the Muslim nation, while rejecting any foreign interference in their internal affairs,” read the communique.

“To this end, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has agreed to open an embassy in the Republic of Maldives.”

It also stated that the two sides agreed to increase “their commercial exchange while expanding and enhancing investment between the two countries and extending invitations to their respective private sectors to explore the available investment opportunities in both countries.”

“The Saudi Fund for Development will continue to finance the development projects in the Republic of Maldives and will consider participating in the expansion of Malé airport and beache preservation in Hulhumalé,” it added.

President Yameen meanwhile “emphasised that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the primary partner of the Republic of Maldives.”

Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed told the press that the Saudi government has agreed to increase the Maldives quota from 1,000 pilgrims at present to 2,000 next year.

President Yameen also requested a plot of land in Mecca to construct a hotel for Maldivian pilgrims, Shaheem revealed, the Saudi government agreed to allocate land.

Moreover, the Saudi government would assist with the establishment of an Islamic University in the Maldives, he added.

King Salman asked for an agreement to be signed between the Maldivian Islamic ministry and the Saudi counterpart in order to provide assistance in Islamic affairs, Shaheem said.

The communique also noted that the “two sides have agreed to finalise the procedures leading to the signing of an agreement in Islamic affairs between the two countries.”

Likes(4)Dislikes(0)