5 February 2018, MALE: Opposition members of parliament signed a resolution on Sunday, calling on the international community to impress upon the Government of Maldives the need to respect the rule of law, and implement last Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling that ordered the release of political leaders and the reinstatement of 12 opposition MPs.
The 37 signatories to the resolution are all members of the joint opposition coalition, which opposes President Yameen’s rule. Following last week’s Supreme Court ruling, the opposition coalition now enjoys a clear majority in parliament.
MP Gasim Ibrahim was unable to sign the resolution because he is in exile in Germany, while three other MPs were unable to sign because they are being held in jail. Other opposition MPs are currently abroad.
The resolution expresses:
“concern that the Government of Maldives has refused to abide by the ruling, and continues to defy the Supreme Court of the Maldives… [and] alarm the Attorney-General of the Maldives, Mohamed Anil, publicly announced that he had ordered the Maldives Police Services and the Maldives National Defence Force not to follow rulings issued by the Supreme Court.”
The resolution further states that the MPs are:
“deeply fearful that the government’s refusal to implement the Supreme Court ruling, the Police violence, and the increased militarisation of the country, could escalate to civil unrest and incite violence across the country.”
The resolution requests:
“the international community, including India, Sri Lanka, the US, the UK, EU member states, international organizations and international NGOs, and all friends of the Maldives, to do everything in their power
1. to impress upon the Government of Maldives, security services and institutions to respect the Supreme Court ruling, and
2. to consider and implement all necessary measures, including diplomatic, economic, and legal, to defend democracy, rule of law and human rights in the Maldives at this critical juncture, and to hold government officials accountable for violations of national and international law
and to help return power to the people of the Maldives, and to restore democracy in Maldives.
ENDS