maldives news – Page 67 – Minivan News

State concludes witness testimony in former Defence Minister Nazim’s trial

Three anonymised police officers provided testimony with serious contradictions last week in former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim’s trial on weapons possession charges.

The three officers were part of a search team during the controversial midnight raid on Nazim’s house on January 18. Their testimony indicated the Maldives Police Services did not follow stringent police regulations in conducting the search.

The search team did not videotape the raid as required, and provided conflicting testimony on whether mandatory photographs were taken. One witness said photos were only taken of the illegal weapons, while a second witness said photographs were taken from the moment the raid began.

Nazim — accused of smuggling illegal weapons — maintains he was framed by rogue SWAT police officers on the orders of Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb.

The three officers said they entered Nazim’s apartment after masked SWAT officers broke down the then-defence minister’s door. Nazim’s wife and two daughters were inside the apartment’s living room with the officers at the time, they said.

Police claimed to have discovered three bullets and a pistol in a black bag in a bedside drawer during the raid. Nazim was subsequently dismissed and arrested on additional charges of treason and terrorism.

If convicted of smuggling weapons, the retired colonel faces a jail term between ten and 15 years.

State prosecutors have now concluded summoning witnesses. A total of six individuals testified in four hearings last week. They included five police officers and one Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officer.

The defence is to call witnesses at the next hearing on Sunday.

Police procedures

The Criminal Court held four hearings on March 17, 18 and 19. Nazim’s defence team questioned the three anonymised police witnesses on procedures followed during raid, search and chain of custody in evidence.

At the March 17 hearing, the chief Investigative Officer (IO) said he had sought a court warrant to search Nazim’s apartment building, Galholhu Enif, on his superior’s orders.

Intelligence information indicated weapons were kept either on the seventh or eighth floor, he said via telephone. The search team entered Nazim’s apartment ten to 15 minutes after SWAT officers entered the apartment and secured the premises, he said.

The police team searched Nazim’s bedroom first, in his presence, when the weapons were discovered, he said. Police officers searched all of Nazim’s apartment and a second apartment on the eighth floor, but did not search the seventh floor, he said.

The IO said Nazim had fully cooperated with the search. The police did not keep a record of observations in a special notebook or issue a list of items confiscated from the former defence minister’s home as per regulations, the cross-examination revealed.

One anonymised witness on March 18 said the search team did not check the ceiling, while the second said the team brought in a chair to check the ceiling and cupboards.

The legal team had previously claimed that the items found at Nazim’s house were planted by the police, saying that officers spent ten minutes inside Nazim’s bedroom unsupervised before the search began. Police have called the claims “untrue” and “baseless”.

On March 19, state prosecutors summoned Sub Inspector Ameen Abdul Gayoom regarding a forensic digital analysis report of a pen drive confiscated from Nazim’s apartment along with the weapons. The state has previously said documents on the pen drive indicate Nazim was plotting to harm President Abdulla Yameen, Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb.

Journalists and observers were barred from the defence’s cross-examination of Gayoom due to the confidential nature of the documents on the pen drive.

Prosecutors then summoned MNDF First Lieutenant Mohamed Nazeem to prove the pistol and bullets were functioning. Nazeem said the a weapons expert had fired the pistol in his presence, but they had not tested the bullets. However, a visual inspection shows the bullets were not dummy rounds, he said.

Defence lawyers have named President Yameen, Commissioner Waheed, Chief of Defence Forces Major General Ahmed Shiyam, Home Minister Umar Naseer and several senior ranking police and military officers as witnesses to prove charges were fabricated in a conspiracy engineered by Adeeb.

The Criminal Court said the court would summon defence witnesses only if they appear to negate the prosecution’s evidence.

On March 7, lawyer Maumoon Hameed claimed Adeeb framed Nazim after the former defence minister alerted President Yameen of the tourism minister using SO SWAT officers to commit criminal acts, including the chopping down of all of Malé City’s areca palms in October last year.

The tourism minister has said he was “shocked” by the allegations, and has dismissed accusations as lies.

Defence lawyers have also called Superintendent of Police Ahmed Nafiz and former head of police’s intelligence directorate, Mohamed ‘MC’ Hameed, to prove a complaint was lodged over SO officer’s alleged criminal activities, and that SO officers had engaged in criminal activity.

The defence has also called senior ranking police and military officers to prove that a Special Protection Group Corporal had lost a 9mm Browning pistol at Shangri-La resort in 2014, that police officers did not follow due process in raiding and searching Nazim’s residence, and that police intelligence had not received any information that illegal weapons were smuggled into Malé prior to the raid.

The MNDF promptly dismissed allegations of missing weapons.

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Young man stabbed to death in Mundoo

A 29-year-old man was stabbed to death on Laamu Atoll Mundoo Island on Friday night.

According to local media, Ali Ziyadham was stabbed in his arms, thighs, back and neck. He was dead when he was brought to the Mundoo Health Center at 11:10pm.

“Currently, we have one suspect under arrest, we are working on finding others associated with the incident,” the Maldives Police Services said in a statement today.

Ziyadham has a criminal record of drug abuse and theft, the police said.

Mundoo residents told local media Ziyadham was murdered in a dispute over the distribution of moonshine.

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Child abuse suspect arrested in Fuvahmulah

A 37-year-old man has been arrested from Fuvahmulah Island on suspicion of child abuse on Friday.

According to the Maldives Police Services, an arrest warrant was issued after the Family and Child Protection Services Unit on Fuvahmulah reported a case of sexual abuse of a child.

“Since cases of child abuse are increasing, we advise all parents and guardians to pay special attention and protect innocent children from such harm. We also suggest that, even if you suspect anyone of such acts of harm, to do everything you can to protect the child and report it to the authorities,” the police urged.

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Hundreds affected after massive fire breaks out at warehouse in Malé

Additional reporting by Hassan Mohamed

A number of families have been forced out of their homes after a massive fire broke out in a warehouse in Malé on Thursday night (March 19), sending plumes of flame and smoke 60 feet into the air.

The two-storey Lily Store warehouse in Maafanu ward was completely destroyed, causing damages worth an estimated MVR30 million (US$1.9 million), according to Lily Store owner Ahmed Naseer.

Homes in the area were evacuated around 11:15pm as the flames leapt from Maafanu Oak Villa to adjacent buildings in the narrow alley. Residents first heard loud cracking noises like gunfire or explosions before the flames were visible.

Deodorant bottles, gas cylinders, one lorry, and three pickups were inside the warehouse.

All the windows of the multi-storey building opposite the warehouse were shattered and deodorant bottles were later found inside its apartments.

According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) fire and rescue service, the fire was contained around 12:00am and completely extinguished about two hours later with members of the public working alongside police officers and firemen.

Fire lorries were unable to use water cannons for nearly 30 minutes with the narrow streets surrounding the warehouse packed with panic-stricken and fleeing residents.

Residents from the neighbourhood told Minivan News that many people emerged from their homes in night dresses, and some were carrying crying toddlers.

Aftermath

On Saturday morning, smoke was still spewing out of the burnt-down warehouse.

The fire had spread to the third floor of an adjacent building as well as a construction site whilst the roof of a nearby house had collapsed.

The apartment now lies in ruins and many houses were looted after residents fled.

Malé City Councilor Shamau Shareef said a family of ten was sheltering at Malé’s Social Centre with the neighbourhood home to about 500 people still engulfed in smoke.

Shamau said about four families were forced out of their homes with their buildings uninhabitable, walls still scalding hot and belongings burnt.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party councillor called on MNDF and police to expedite cleaning up the area as the “toxic fumes are not safe to breathe.” He also urged the government to provide temporary shelter to the four affected families.

However, Shamau commended the MNDF and police both for their prompt response and safely evacuating the neighbourhood.

Apart from an elderly man reportedly treated at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation, no one was harmed in the fire.

A middle-aged woman seeking refuge at the social centre told Minivan News that the explosions she heard “sounded like gunfire.”

“We were all sleeping when the fire broke out. I was woken up by very loud explosions. Soon someone started knocking on the door loudly and asked us to evacuate,” she recalled.

“My child still is only eating now, yesterday he barely ate anything and had trouble sleeping,” she said, pointing to her 13-year-old son having biscuits and tea at the social centre’s small cafeteria.

She expressed gratitude to the Disaster Management Centre for arranging temporary shelter and providing food and other essentials.

“I understand it is a difficult time for everyone. We do not have all the luxuries we had at home. But I am happy with what they have done for us,” she said.

A resident of the neighbourhood, Ali Rasheed, 52, said his family has been sleeping and eating at friend’s places as living in their home was “unbearable” because of the smoke.

“I believe the government should be held accountable for this. The fire trucks were not able to provide water until much later,” he said.

Lily Store owner Naseer told local media that nothing was salvaged from the warehouse, which he said was stored with newly imported goods ten days ago. However, the warehouse was insured, Naseer said.

Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed visited the damaged homes this morning.

Suspected arson

A police media official confirmed today that a separate fire occurred at Ekuveni around 12:00am on Thursday night, less than an hour after the warehouse fire broke out.

Police began patrolling the city whilst MNDF officers were deployed to petrol sheds and other strategic locations.

A security guard at the sports complex told Minivan News that he saw two “youngsters on a motorcycle” hurl what appeared to be petrol bombs into the premises. However, the fires were quickly extinguished.

“I immediately called the police and started working on extinguishing the fire,” he said.

The second fire fueled speculation of coordinated attacks, and police have not ruled out arson in the warehouse fire, saying all lines of inquiry were open in the ongoing investigation.

“We are working hard to identify those involved in the dangerous fire in Malé on Thursday night, and will take strict action against them,” Police Commissioner Hussain Waheed wrote on Facebook today.

Cover photo by Laisha Mohamed Shakir

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Tourist arrivals reach record high in February

Tourist arrivals reached an all-time record level for a single month with 120,468 visitors in February, the Ministry of Tourism has revealed.

Arrivals in February was 8.8 percent higher than the same period last year, which was “a significant improvement compared to the negative growth (-7.8 percent) registered in January 2015,” the tourism ministry observed in a statement on Thursday (March 19).

“With this boost, the total arrivals at end February 2015 was 217,541, an increase of +0.7 percent compared with the 216,001 tourists that visited during the same period of 2014,” the ministry noted.

The occupancy rate meanwhile declined by 4.8 percent this year, with an average occupancy rate of 80.8 percent. The average duration of stay was six days.

After falling 12.2 percent in December and 33.1 percent in January, Chinese arrivals bounced back in February with a 30.5 growth compared to February 2014.

A total of 43,349 Chinese tourists visited the Maldives last month.

At a press conference last week, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb suggested that Chinese visitors increased sharply as the Chinese New Year was on February 13.

Adeeb noted that overall arrivals growth was at about one percent compared to the first two months of 2014.

“So our travel trends is not falling. The past month was a very profitable month,” he said.

However, the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) revealed earlier this month that revenue collection was 17.6 percent below forecasts due to “the decrease in tourism related revenues by 17 percent as tourist arrivals did not meet expectations.”

MIRA also revealed that US$2.2 million was collected last month as airport service charge, compared to US$2.3 million in February 2014.

However, Adeeb said income from Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST) for February would be collected in March, and would reflect the arrivals hike.

Referring to travel alerts issued by the UK in the wake of political unrest sparked by the arrest of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 22, Adeeb noted that tourists were only advised to avoid Malé due to demonstrations.

Asked if arrivals could decline in March due to the ongoing political crisis, Adeeb said the tourism ministry has been monitoring booking cancellations.

“Our monitoring shows there have been no booking cancelations in March,” he said, adding that he expected arrivals to remain unchanged from March 2014.

Condemning calls for tourism boycott, Adeeb said the government was countering the social media campaign by opposition supporters through marketing efforts by PR firms.

Adeeb suggested the tourism boycott campaign would not have “much of an impact.”

Regional markets

Europe retained top spot as the largest regional source market for tourist arrivals with a 49.3 percent market share in 2015.

However, with 107,263 visitors so far this year, total arrivals from Europe registered a marginal decline of 0.8 percent.

European arrivals in February declined by 1.9 percent compared to the same period last year on the back of a steep 53.4 percent decline in arrivals from Russia.

However, arrivals from the United Kingdom and Germany increased by 10.6 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively. The number of Italian tourists also grew by 10.3 percent compared to February 2014.

Total arrivals from Western Europe declined by 2.9 percent due to a fall of 15.5 percent in arrivals from France, which the tourism ministry said has been posting negative growth since July 2014.

In terms of individual markets, China remains the largest source market with a 29.3 percent market share, followed by Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Both the national carrier Maldivian Airlines and Mega Maldives launched direct weekly flights to Chinese cities during February.

The Maldives Marketing and Tourism Development Corporation (MMPRC) also conducted roadshows in three Indian cities last month to promote the Maldives as a destination for Indian tourists.

With 4,235 visitors, arrivals from India grew by 17.8 percent in February with a market share of 3.7 percent.

“During the last two months of 2015, while important markets such as Russia, and Japan registered declines of -43.9 percent and -0.6 percent respectively, significant increases were recorded from Denmark (+82.8 percent), United Arab Emirates (+47.9 percent), Brazil (+44.6 percent), Spain (+40 percent) and Romania (+33.9 percent) at the end of the period,” the ministry noted.

At the end of February, the Maldives had 308 registered establishments in operation with a bed capacity of 27,670.

“The operational capacity included 106 resorts with 23,247 beds, 15 hotels with 1,508 beds, 106 guest houses with 1,568 beds and 81 safari vessels with 1,367 beds,” the ministry revealed.

“The total tourist bed nights of these operational establishments at the end of the period was 1,313,259 which was a drop (-3.7 percent) compared with the same period of 2014.”

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Nasheed’s terrorism trial “a mockery” of Constitution, verdict “may have been pre-determined,” says Knaul

Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s terrorism trial “made a mockery” of the Maldives Constitution, and violated the country’s international human rights obligations, the UN special rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers has said.

In a damning statement issued on Thursday, Gabriela Knaul highlighted several irregularities in the opposition leader’s rushed trial, and said: “The speed of the proceedings combined with the lack of fairness in the procedures lead me to believe the outcome of the trial may have been pre-determined.”

Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in jail on March 13 after the Criminal Court found him guilty of “forcefully abducting” Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012.

The surprise trial began one day after Nasheed was arrested on February 22, and was completed in just 11 short hearings over 19 days.

“The series of due process violations that were reported to me since Mr. Nasheed’s arrest on 22 February is simply unacceptable in any democratic society,” Knaul said.

Warning of a “seriously deteriorating situation in the independence of the justice system,” the expert urged the Maldives to guarantee that Nasheed’s appeal would respect the most stringent fair trial and due processes.

The Maldivian authorities must allow the public, including international observers who were arbitrarily denied access to the Criminal Court, to attend appeal hearings, she said.

Nasheed’s lawyers, however, have already raised concern over alleged attempts by the Criminal Court to block the former president from launching an appeal.

With one week having passed since the verdict was issued, the Criminal Court failed to release any relevant trial documents until yesterday (March 19), which lawyers say are necessary for Nasheed to meet the ten day appeal deadline provided in new regulations enacted by the Supreme Court.

Selective justice

The Maldives’ decision to try Nasheed on terrorism, while his predecessor Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has not had to answer for any of the serious human rights violations documented during his term is “troubling for a country whose constitution enshrines the independence and impartiality of the justice system as a prerequisite for democracy and the rule of law,” Knaul also said.

She urged the Maldives to consider the recommendations she had put forth in a 2013 report, including revising the composition of the judicial watchdog body the Judicial Services Commission, proper investigation of judges’ misconduct, enforcing the judges’ code of conduct and increasing the judiciary’s financial and human resources.

“The delicate issue of accountability for past human rights violations also needs to be addressed,” she noted at the time.

Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Wednesday raised similar concerns as Knaul over Nasheed’s trial, including the Criminal Court having denied Nasheed adequate time to prepare defence and a refusal to call defence witnesses.

The experts have also expressed concern over the Criminal Court’s decision not to wait until Nasheed sought new legal representation when his lawyers resigned half-way through the trial.

Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin and two judges of the three-member bench providing witness statements during a 2012 investigation into Judge Abdulla’s arrest amounted to conflict of interest, both Knaul and Zeid have said

“Clearly no one should be above the law, and the trial of a former Head of State would be a major challenge for any government. But in a polarised context, and given the long-standing serious concerns about the independence and politicisation of the judiciary in the Maldives, this case should have been handled with much greater care and transparency,” Zeid said on Wednesday.

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UN human rights chief expresses strong concern over “hasty and apparently unfair” Nasheed trial

Former President Nasheed found guilty of terrorism, sentenced to 13 years in prison

US, EU, and UK concerned over lack of due process in Nasheed trial

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Nasheed’s family raises fear of an assassination plot by security forces

Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s family has raised concerns over a possible plot within the security forces to assassinate the imprisoned opposition leader.

Speaking to the press today, former First Lady Laila Ali said a very close friend whom she trusts and “could not help but believe” shared information that Nasheed would either be hanged with a note saying he could not remain in jail for 13 years or “disappeared” like Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.

As the source was certain of the authenticity of the plans and had learned of it from two Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers, Laila said the information was “too serious to ignore.”

Nasheed was found guilty of terrorism and sentenced to 13 years in prison last Friday. Home Minister Umar Naseer has since said the former president would be kept at the Dhoonidhoo detention centre until a “prison apartment” could be built in Maafushi jail.

“I’ve never feared he might be killed while in jail. It is deeply saddening [that he is jail]. But I’ve never thought he might not come out [alive] when he completes his sentence,” she said.

Nasheed’s brother Ibrahim Nashid said he was certain no inmate would harm the former president and said the family had been reasonably certain Nasheed would return alive when he had been jailed under former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

“I was previously certain it would never go that far. But now anything can happen.”

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokersperson Imthiyaz Fahmy told the press yesterday the party has also received information of the alleged assassination plans.

Fahmy referred to rumours of plans to kidnap Nasheed from Dhoonidhoo Island and expressed concern at lax security arrangements at the police detention centre.

“There is only one security personnel where he is kept at Dhoonidhoo. We don’t believe that there will be any security for him. The party believes there is room to organise an attack on him,” he said.

Laila meanwhile said today that she has 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.”

The former first lady said she is awaiting a reply, but would make her letters public if she did not receive assurances from the government.

Laila said that she last talked to Nasheed on Tuesday night and shared her concerns. Nasheed told her that police officers had said they would increase security and patrol the island.

Laila noted that Nasheed has also been deprived of legally mandated MNDF protection since his arrest.

Laila said she now feared for his life, adding that she constantly heard of possible attempts to kill Nasheed since the “coup” in February 2012.

Meanwhile, at a press conference today, Police Superintendent Hamdhoon Rasheed dismissed the MDP’s allegations of plans to assassinate Nasheed as false.

Nasheed was safe and under police protection at the detention centre, he said.

“Environment of violence”

British MP for Salisbury John Glen also raised concern over Nasheed’s safety in Westminster today, questioning Leader of the House of Commons William Hague over possible sanctions against the Maldives.

“Although it is believed that he is safe in Dhoonidhoo, it is expected that when he is moved to Maafushi island, there will be real concerns for his safety. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that the Foreign Office is doing all it can to highlight the concerns of Nasheed’s supporters, and can a statement be made to the House about sanctions and whether they should be taken against this much-misunderstood set of islands?” the MP asked.

In reply, Hague said he was deeply concerned over Nasheed’s sentencing and said the UK continues to monitor the case closely.

“We are pressing the Government in the Maldives to give international observers access to any appeal hearing and to allow them to visit the former President in prison,” he said.

Urging calm in the Maldives Hague said, “We have called on the Maldives to follow due legal process. The Foreign Office Ministers were the first to make a strong statement, making it clear that we are monitoring the case closely.”

In a statement on March 16, human rights group Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) also expressed concern over the “rising environment of violence” and threats to Nasheed and other political figures.

The NGO said it has received information of plans to kill Nasheed in Maafushi after instigating a prison riot, referring to previous outbreaks of violence at the jail, including the shooting of inmates in September 2003 and the death of an inmate last year after a fatal stabbing.

“An investigation is still pending and police are yet to inform the public about the progress of the investigation,” MDN said in reference to the latter incident.

Moreover, the NGO said it has also received reports suggesting “violent groups have been hired to harm and kidnap” opposition MPs.

“We believe that the law and order situation has become extremely fragile in the Maldives, and implore the international community to have a presence in the Maldives to prevent further disorder and to ensure a quick and smooth transition to peace and harmony,” MDN said.

MDN called upon international anti-torture organisations to send missions to the Maldives “where they can monitor the safety of former President Mohamed Nasheed.”

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Former bitter rivals unite against “brutality” of President Yameen’s government

Formerly bitter political rivals united against the alleged “brutality” of President Abdulla Yameen’s administration at the first rally of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Adhaalath Party (AP) alliance tonight.

Addressing a crowd of thousands at the carnival area in Malé, all speakers at tonight’s rally – including AP President Sheikh Imran Abdulla, ‘Sandhaanu’ Ahmed Didi, former ruling party MP Ahmed Mahloof and MDP leaders – stressed that they bore no grudge against each other.

President Yameen’s “brutality” 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 (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim’s businesses, and the “unconstitutional” removal of former Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim and former Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain.

The current administration was also accused of rampant corruption and using criminal gangs to attack peaceful opposition protests after assuring wayward youth immunity from prosecution.

Several speakers suggested that the prevailing atmosphere of fear was unprecedented, but expressed defiance in the face of threats from government-backed gangs.

AP President Sheikh Imran said toppling the government was not the alliance’s intention and called for President Yameen to join “peace talks” with the opposition.

“Choosing another way is in President Yameen’s hands,” he said.

In a symbolic gesture, a chair in the front row was kept empty for Nasheed, who was convicted of terrorism and sentenced to 13 years in prison last Friday (March 13).

As the Maldives National Defence Force’s (MNDF) official anthem song was used in between speeches, the defence ministry promptly put out a statement objecting to its use in a political rally.

“This institution believes that the use of the song for political purposes undermines the honour and dignity of the army,” the statement read.

“Brutality”

MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, MDP parliamentary group leader, assured JP members that the party was “standing up in [Gasim’s] defence.” Last month, Gasim’s Villa Group was ordered to pay the state US$100 million allegedly owed as unpaid rent and fines in 30 days.

As the government gears up to celebrate the upcoming golden jubilee of independence, all speakers contended that the Maldives was not free.

“Maldivians do not have independence as we celebrate 50 years of independence. Tonight, we start the fight for independence,” said JP Deputy Leader Ameen Ibrahim.

MP Ahmed Mahloof – who was expelled from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) – said the controversial transfer of presidential power on February 7, 2012 spawned bitter divisions in the country, which appeared far too wide to ever be bridged.

However, Mahloof said former rivals speaking at one rally indicated “today is worse than yesterday, and even worse is to come.”

He urged PPM supporters to consider why he would withdraw support for a party he had helped found and a president he had helped elect.

President Yameen after assuming power sided with gangs and repeatedly violated the constitution, he claimed.

Alleging corruption in the government, Mahloof said Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb bought a US$80,000 BMW and$100,000 ring for the first lady on her birthday, indicating President Abdulla Yameen encouraged embezzlement of state funds.

Reiterating his allegations of the government using gangs for “state-sponsored” crimes, Mahloof said he has “never felt this kind of fear.”

“Why? Because I know the atrocities this government has committed. This government is capable of such atrocities. I am now uncertain of my security,” he said.

In his first speech at a political rally, Adam Azim – former Defence Minister Nazim’s brother and former managing director of the State Trading Organisation (STO) – said he was not at the rally solely because his brother was under arrest.

“I’m here because I do not want my children or their children to live in this fear,” he said.

Azim praised former President Nasheed for his courage, determination, and lead role in ushering in democracy.

Expressing gratitude to the opposition leader for standing up in defence of Nazim – who had played a pivotal role in Nasheed’s resignation in February 2012 – Azim said Nasheed’s heart was “big enough” to contain the whole country.

As justice was not possible through Maldivian courts, Azim said the “only avenue left for justice is the streets.”

He said Nazim wishes to serve the public as Nasheed does and did not fear jail, calling on police and the military not to obey unlawful orders.

Azim also expressed concern with the dismissal of employees of state-owned enterprises for attending opposition protests and rallies, noting that their politically-appointed superiors were at the front lines of ruling party gatherings.

MDP Chairperson Ali Waheed meanwhile said President Yameen has betrayed and alienated his closest associates and allies, including former Defence Minister Nazim, who he said was the hardest working and most competent cabinet minister, and PPM MP Ahmed Nazim.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing an appeal by the Prosecutor General’s Office into dismissal of corruption cases against the Dhiggaru MP.

Parties on opposite ends of the political spectrum were setting aside ideological differences against President Yameen’s alleged attempts to destroy the multi-party system, he said, which has renewed hope and courage for the opposition.

The MDP’s top priority and the goal of the opposition movement was freeing Nasheed, he declared.

“We want to see the day Nasheed arrives at Republican Square a free man,” he said.

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MDP, Adhaalath Party announces first rally of “Maldivians against brutality” alliance

The first rally of the newly formed “Maldivians against brutality” alliance of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and former rival Adhaalath Party (AP) is due to take place tonight.

At a press conference of the opposition alliance this afternoon, AP President Sheikh Imran Abdulla stressed the importance of a united and strong alliance to counter the “brutality” of President Abdulla Yameen’s administration.

“The goal of this alliance is to bring an end to the government’s brutality. That does not mean overthrowing the government,” Imran said.

The MDP’s national council adopted a resolution this week to work together with the AP after Imran called for the formation of a “national unity alliance” against the government.

MDP Chairperson Ali Waheed said today that the opposition alliance would form a steering committee to organise its activities and invited the public to attend the rally at the carnival area at 9:00pm.

“We need to put our clashing opinions aside and work together for national interest,” Waheed said.

Jumhooree Party (JP) Deputy Leaders Ameen Ibrahim and Dr Hussain Rasheed Hassan meanwhile told the press that they were working with the movement in their “personal capacity” as the JP’s council has not officially joined the movement.

Ameen said the party decided against formally joining the alliance as the public might perceive that the party was working to protect its leader’s business interests. Last month, JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Group was ordered to pay the state US$100 million allegedly owed as unpaid rent and fines in 30 days.

United front

Imran contended that the two people suffering the most under Yameen’s government was ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, along with Gasim, listing former President Mohamed Nasheed as the third.

He further claimed that the target of an amendment proposed by a pro-government MP for discontinuing state benefits for convicted ex-presidents was Gayoom.

Former President Nasheed was found guilty of terrorism and sentenced to 13 years in prison last Friday (March 13).

Imran also alleged that a PPM member offered him a bribe today to scuttle the opposition alliance and claimed he could have accepted US$10 million in bribes from Indian infrastructure giant GMR to cease protests calling for the termination of the airport development deal in late 2012.

“I would like to tell all of Maldives that I would not sell my principles for money,” he said.

He further alleged that the AP chose to back Gasim in the presidential election despite the PPM offering large amounts of money in exchange for the religious conservative party’s endorsement.

Imran said the decision to form an alliance with the MDP has led to differences of opinion within the party, stating that the AP was the “most democratic” party in the country.

Imran played a pivotal role in the downfall of the Nasheed administration in February 2012, spearheading anti-government demonstrations against the MDP government’s allegedly anti-Islamic policies in 2011 and the military’s detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012.

After backing Gasim in the 2013 presidential election, the AP later endorsed PPM candidate Abdulla Yameen against Nasheed in the second round run-off.

A “career” of toppling governments

Asked at a press conference yesterday whether the government was facing domestic and international pressure due to the opposition alliance’s activities, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb insisted that the government was stable with a strong parliamentary majority.

“We are not surprised. It’s always the same people. Whenever a new government comes, they will be with the government. But before too long, they would say ‘[the government] did this or that’ and [should be] toppled,” he said in an apparent reference to the AP.

“Their whole career is bringing a government and overthrowing the government. This has become the same career for them.”

The PPM deputy leader contended that the opposition was unable to back up its allegation of the government violating the constitution and has now ceased that line of attack.

Those who protested against Nasheed “for the sake of Islam and the nation” were currently working with a party they alleged had “sold off the nation,” he said.

The current administration has neither sold off state assets nor carried out any anti-Islamic activities, Adeeb said, adding, however, that some religious scholars considered music shows a serious “wrongdoing”.

If the religious scholars believed in Islamic principles “with such harshness”, Adeeb argued that earning money from the sale of alcohol and pork should be forbidden.

“But it was these religious people who took the hands of such a person and ran with him twice to make him president. I don’t want to name names,” he said.

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MDP to launch national civil disobedience campaign to free Nasheed

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