Tag: maldives news

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(0)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(0)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(0)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(0)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(0)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(0)Dislikes(0)

MDP carries out nationwide “Maldivians for justice” protests

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party carried out protests across the country on Friday under the banner “Maldivians for Justice,” calling for the release of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Demonstrations took place from Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhufushi and Raa Meedhoo in the north to the Addu City in the south. Hundreds of supporters in capital Malé offered a special prayer at the Islamic Center after Friday prayers, and thousands participated in a protest march at 9:30pm.

Speaking at an opposition march for the first time, MP Ahmed Mahloof said: “Former President Nasheed is loved by thousands of Maldivians and his jailing will not bring any gain to President Yameen.”

The MP for Galolhu South was expelled from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives for allegedly defaming President Abdulla Yameen.

Mahloof accused the government of prosecuting the opposition leader as well as former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim in a conspiracy to eliminate political opponents.

He also praised MDP MP Ismail Fayyaz, who was arrested from a protest and is being held in remand detention after he refused to accept the Criminal Court’s condition of not participating in protests for 60 days.

A motorcycle rally took place in Kulhudhufushi in the afternoon, whilst hundreds wearing black gathered for a rally at the Feydhoo harbor in the southernmost Addu City.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of MDP supporters participated in a special prayer outside the Islamic Centre after Friday prayers.

“Brutality reigns in our country. Justice abolished. O Allah! May our country be saved from the brutality of our rulers, and may we be taken to safer shores,” the prayer stated.

“Our beloved leader, a man loved by a majority of us, Mohamed Nasheed, has been unjustly sentenced and imprisoned. He has suffered and continues to suffer. O Allah! Save Mohamed Nasheed from this brutality.”

The prayer gathering prompted Home Minister Umar Naseer to call for police action against usng mosques and surrounding areas to “make political statements.”

The MDP condemned Naseer’s “warning” in a statement today, describing the tweet as “shocking.”

“Mosques are used for worship and prayer. The acts of brutality in the Maldives are prohibited and praying to be saved from such acts is encouraged in Islam. We see interfering with citizens of a Muslim country’s praying and threatening them as this government’s brutality getting to a whole new level,” read the statement.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Canada appalled by guilty verdict for Nasheed

Canada is appalled by the Maldives’ prosecution of former President Mohamed Nasheed on terrorism charges, Parliamentary Secretary Deepak Obhrai has said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This verdict goes against the core principles of the Commonwealth, and Canada will continue to call on Maldives to reaffirm its commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law,” the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Human Rights said.

Nasheed was convicted of terrorism and sentenced to 13 years in jail over the military’s detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in 2012.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and UN Special Rapporteur for Independence of Judges and Lawyers Gabriela Knaul last week condemned the apparent lack of due process in Nasheed’s trial.

The rushed trial was marred with several irregularities, including the Criminal Court’s refusal to call defence witnesses, grant Nasheed adequate time to prepare defence and appoint new legal representation when his lawyers resigned half-way through the trial.

“The manner in which the trial was conducted infringes basic and fundamental concepts of due process. The result brings Maldives’ justice system into disrepute and is symptomatic of backsliding in Maldives’ commitment to domestic and international human rights obligations and democratic principles, which is causing growing tensions in the country,” Obhrai said.

President Abdulla Yameen on March 15 called on all parties to respect the Criminal Court’s verdict against Nasheed.

“The government calls on its international partners to engage constructively, based on mutual respect and dialogue in consolidating and strengthening democratic values and institutions in the country,” read the brief statement.

On February 24, Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon blasted a February 23 Canadian statement expressing concern over Nasheed’s arrest ahead of the surprise trial.

At the time, Canadian Foreign Minister Rob Nicholson said “the brutal and unjustified treatment of the former president call into question Maldives’ commitment to due process and democratic principles.

Dunya dismissed Nicholson’s statement as “blatantly untrue,” adding: “I don’t think they know what actually is happening here.”

 

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Nasheed’s wife seeks India’s help in assuring opposition leader’s safety

Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s wife Laila Ali has urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to free her husband from jail and assure his safety.

“I fear for his life in prison. This week I got some information from close friends that people in the cabinet as well as some retired and serving armed forces personnel are plotting to kill him in jail and make it look like he committed suicide,” she told India’s Economic Times today.

The opposition leader was sentenced to 13 years in jail on March 13 over the military’s detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in 2012.

He is being kept at Dhoonidhoo Island Remand Center until a special “prison apartment” is built in Maafushi jail, Home Minister Umar Naseer has said.

The former First Lady called Nasheed’s trial a “total sham” and requested India to intervene to restore the rule of law in the Maldives.

“I do not know what it will take PM Modi to do it but my wish is that India helps in ensuring that my husband is freed unconditionally and that representative democracy is restored. How India does it is for the PM to decide,” she said.

Laila told local media on Thursday she had written to President Abdulla Yameen and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as well as the home minister and police commissioner seeking assurances of Nasheed’s safety.

“In my letter, I expressed my grave concern and told them my husband is in your care. You must give me assurance, in writing or by your actions, that he would not come under any physical or psychological harm.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)