The Maldivian Democratic Party deplores the blatant denial of due process by the Maldives Prosecutor General, the Police and Maldives government for President Mohamed Nasheed culminating in his unlawful arrest on 22 February 2015 and custody on trumped up charges of terrorism.
The Maldivian Democratic Party also repeats its call to all concerned authorities to expedite his immediate release.
The lawful rights for defendants include the appointment and submission of representative lawyers to Court two days prior to any scheduled hearing, processes which were denied to him by his abrupt arrest and the subsequent remand hearing and arraignment scheduled as two separate hearings for 1300Hrs and 1600Hrs Monday (23). The authorities continue to deny him the fundamental right of access to defense lawyers.
MDP leader and former President of the Republic Mohamed Nasheed was arrested Sunday (22) at 1500Hrs at his wife’s home in Male’ by the Police citing a warrant from Maldives Criminal Court. The warrant states that charges of terrorism had been brought against President Mohamed Nasheed. Stating the previously unheard of terrorism charges the warrant further stated that his arrest was warranted upon concerns of him absconding from Court and that he may go into hiding.
The unlawful fast tracking of matters related to the case in the run up to the arrest of President Mohamed Nasheed makes it apparent that the regime of President Yaameen Abdul Gayoom, the Prosecutor General , whose appointment and confidence to continue in office is dependent on the house majority of the ruling Progresssive Party of Maldives are intent to deny him due process and anything that has the semblance of a fair trial.
The controversial sacking of two Justices from the bench of the Supreme Court including the Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain, the unlawful dismissal of the Auditor General, the reconstitution in questionable circumstances of the Judicial Service Commission and the more ominous move of the new Chief Justice adjusting the period for appeal of 90 days just to 10 days, all indicate the deliberate denial of due process and the unlawful fast-tracking of the case to conclude before April when the country’s new Penal Code comes into effect. Charges made against President Mohamed Nasheed of ‘unlawful arrest’ would be invalidated by then.
It is also reprehensible that the Prosecutor General after dropping charges on abuse of power on 16 February to then abruptly charge President Mohamed Nasheed again under tougher anti-terrorism laws with the same allegation of ordering the arrest of Judge Abdulla Mohamed who had been widely accused of corruption.
Judge Abdullah Mohamed purportedly took leave of absence on Sunday (22) and the Court was taken charge by Judge Abdulla Didi, hours before the issuance of the arrest warrant for President Nasheed on previously unheard of charges of terrorism. It is deplorable and ominous that no investigations on terrorism were made into this case by any state institutions to date.
The Maldivian Democratic Party urges all concerned authorities, institutions and well-wishers to prevail over the regime of President Yaameen Abdul Gayoom, the Prosecutor General and the Maldives Police Services this cease and desist from this unlawful denial of due process and deliberate incrimination of President Mohamed Nasheed and to release him and MDP members held in subsequent arrests from custody immediately. //
International Spokesperson
Maldivian Democratic Party
