54 lawyers suspended over ‘unlawful’ judicial reform petition
The four-party opposition coalition reacted to the unprecedented mass suspension by calling on the international community to consider imposing targeted travel and financial sanctions on Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed.
11 Sep 2017, 9:00 AM
Fifty-four lawyers who tried to submit a petition outlining serious concerns with the judiciary to the Supreme Court have been indefinitely suspended and barred from appearing in any court in the Maldives.
In an announcement late Sunday night, the Department of Judicial Administration – which functions under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court – contended that the lawyers acted in contravention of the constitution, the Judicature Act, contempt of court rules, and regulations governing the legal profession by “unlawfully” gathering outside the apex court to submit the petition.
The lawyers were suspended pending a contempt of court inquiry and accused of “interfering with the work of the judiciary, attempting to exert influence, writing an unlawful document in violation of the jurisdictions, procedures and judgments of the courts, signing that document, [and] creating difficulties for the Maldivian judiciary”.
The suspended lawyers include former Attorney General Husnu Suood, opposition MPs Mariya Ahmed Didi and Imthiyaz Fahmy, Hassan Latheef, chairman of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, Anas Abdul Sattar, the MDP’s secretary-general, and Ali Zahir, deputy leader of the Adhaalath Party.
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