Politics

Amal Clooney arrives in the Maldives

Opposition supporters gathered at the Malé airport with a drumming band to welcome jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed’s international lawyer Amal Clooney today. Jared Genser is expected to arrive tomorrow.

MDP reacts angrily to Yameen calling Nasheed ‘most autocratic leader in recent history’

Home minister Umar Naseer rejoins PPM

Naseer was expelled from the PPM in mid-2013 after claiming that presidential primaries were rigged in favour of Abdulla Yameen, whom he accused of having links to criminal gangs, convicts and drug smuggling “networks.”

Nasheed asks High Court for opportunity to consult lawyers ahead of appeal hearings

The opposition leader has asked the court to send him the case documents and to provide sufficient time to review the PG’s appeal with his legal counsel, including his high-profile international lawyers, Amal Clooney and Jared Genser, who are due to arrive in the Maldives tomorrow.

President condemns stabbing of lawyer Mahfooz

“It is not right for a person to suffer such physical harm because of what he said or did. Such crimes should be stopped in the Maldives,” Yameen said. Home minister Umar Naseer meanwhile condemned the “barbaric attack” and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Second invitation extended for Gayoom to attend campaign symposium

Gayoom had declined a previous invitation to inaugurate the first round of the symposium on Thursday night, fuelling speculation of a deepening rift between the Gayoom brothers and a split within the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). Gayoom is the party’s leader.

MP Mahloof asks president’s office for details of ‘42,000 new jobs’

President Yameen had pledged to create 94,000 new jobs for youth during his five-year term. Speaking at the closing ceremony of a three-day symposium held to train “campaign leaders” for his re-election bid last night, Yameen said 50,000 new jobs have already been created during the past two years and that 42,000 young people have gained employment.

Amnesty calls for investigation of lawyer’s ‘brutal stabbing in broad daylight’

“This vicious attack must not go unpunished – Maldives authorities must ensure that human rights defenders can work free from fear of reprisals and that those responsible are held to account. There are strong suspicions that this was a targeted attack against Mahfooz Saeed and it is crucial that the true motive is uncovered,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Maldives researcher.

PPM appeals for unity amid rumours of rift between Gayoom brothers

After Gayoom declined an invitation to inaugurate a symposium to launch Yameen’s re-election campaign on Thursday night, a pro-government media outlet leaked conversations with PPM MPs on a Viber group, in which PPM MP Ibrahim Shujau said Gayoom’s decision can be interpreted as a refusal to back Yameen for a second term in office.

Nasheed’s visitation rights ‘restricted’

Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s parents and siblings were denied a weekly visit at the high-security prison on Maafushi Island today, according to lawyers.

Courts unlikely to clear backlog by Supreme Court deadline

It now appears unlikely that Maldives courts will be able to clear long- pending cases when the one-month period imposed by the Supreme Court expires on September 12.

Opposition announces nation-wide protests on Sep 11

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is planning to hold a nation-wide protest on September 11 against the recent re-imprisonment of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Gayoom turns down invite to launch Yameen’s re-election campaign

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has declined an invitation to inaugurate a symposium to launch President Abdulla Yameen’s re-election campaign for 2018, set to begin tonight.

Nazim and Imran’s court cases “lost in judicial bureaucracy”

The Supreme Court’s decision to divide the nine-member High Court bench to three branches has stalled appeals filed over Nazim’s conviction and Imran’s continued detention without charge.

President Yameen makes rare visit to four islands

In a rare visit to four Maldives islands this week, President Abdulla Yameen pledged to provide government-administered electricity in all inhabited islands by 2018. In 2014, he had assured the same by the end of 2015.

Judges asked to review decision to throw out challenge to Nasheed’s re-imprisonment

Jailed former President Mohamed Nasheed’s lawyers have requested criminal court judges to review its registrar’s decision to throw out a challenge to his re-imprisonment on August 23.

High Court undecided on accepting PG’s appeal of Nasheed’s conviction

The High Court has yet to decide whether to accept the prosecutor general’s (PG) appeal of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s conviction on terrorism charges. The appeal was filed on August 12.

Judiciary hits back at criticism in UNDP report

The Maldives judiciary has hit back at criticism over delays in justice delivery and lack of public awareness on services in a recent UNDP report, claiming the study “does not adequately inform the public on the judiciary’s functions and has several shortcomings that are of great concern.”

Ex-defence minister Nazim at risk of losing eyesight, says family

Nazim’s brother Adam Azim told The Maldives Independent that the retired colonel’s eyesight was rapidly deteriorating and that doctors at the Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) were unable to reach a definitive diagnosis.

Family of four leaves Maldives ‘on Jihad’

A family of four has reportedly left the Maldives to Syria last week. The husband and wife, both 28 years old, took their children, a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old, with them.