Politics

Legal changes propose removal of convicted judges without parliament vote

A ruling party lawmaker proposed amending the Judges Act to trigger automatic removal if a judge is convicted of a criminal offence, bypassing the parliamentary vote called for by the constitution.

Opposition supporters protest in Sri Lanka

The demonstration in Colombo was the first one outside the Maldives since last month’s Supreme Court ruling and state of emergency declaration.

Shareef made new Elections Commission chief

With only ruling coalition lawmakers present, President Abdulla Yameen’s nominee to the five-member electoral body was approved with 33 votes from the 85-member house.

PPM proposes anti-defection law to penalise floor crossing

The ruling party has proposed an anti-defection law to penalise floor crossing and strip lawmakers of their seats for switching parties.

President nominates utility boss to Elections Commission

Local media reported Sunday that former MP Ahmed Shareef Adam was the only candidate sent for parliamentary approval out of those who applied to the president’s office.

Three MPs among detainees from #OccupyMajeedheeMagu protest

Special Ops police in riot gear moved in swiftly after opposition supporters gathered around 4:30 pm in four spots along Malé’s main thoroughfare, setting up barricades, pepper spraying and charging protesters.

PPM condemns harassment of Channel 13 reporter

Footage of the incident shows irate protesters yell into Aminath Layal’s microphone and chant for President Abdulla Yameen’s resignation as she accuses them of obstructing press freedom.

VTV fined US$26k for speech defaming president

The broadcasting regulator has slapped Villa Television and sister station VFM with a fine of MVR400,000 (US$26,000) over a speech by an opposition lawmaker in December last year.

#JeSuisParis: Maldives minister waxes lyrical on state of emergency

A minister has drawn parallels between the state of emergency in the Maldives and the one in France.

Maldives vows ‘aggressive action’ over use of flag by North Korea-supplying tanker

An oil tanker suspected of illegally supplying North Korea was not registered by Maldivian authorities to sail under the national flag, the government said Wednesday after Japan notified the UN Security Council of the incident.

Ex-elections chief appointed to police watchdog

Parliament approved former elections commissioner Ali Sulaiman’s appointment to the watchdog body for law enforcement agencies.

Maldives skipping India navy exercise over ‘heightened readiness’ at home

India’s naval chief Sunil Lanba told media that the Maldives had declined to participate in the ‘Milan’ exercise starting March 6, with no reason given for the absence.

Dunya Maumoon resigns as state health minister

Her departure from her uncle’s government appeared imminent after President Abdulla Yameen arrested her father on February 6, but has taken weeks to materialise.

Denied, detained, deported: how the Maldives sent a law association packing

LAWASIA confirmed that a fact-finding delegation was denied entry to the Maldives, despite the government’s insistence that international stakeholders are welcome to assess the country’s situation for themselves.

We are doing fine, Maldives tells UN, focus on Palestine and Syria

The United Nations Human Rights Council heard that President Abdulla Yameen had to declare a state of emergency because a “conspiracy – financed to the tune of millions of dollars – was set in motion” on February 1.

Opposition defies police protest curfew

Some protesters, including a 70-year-old female activist, were taken into custody when riot police moved to disperse the crowd at a busy intersection of the capital’s main thoroughfare.

Maldives hires US Trump-tied lobbying firm

The state-owned Maldivian tourism promotion company hired a top-earning US lobbying firm amid growing international condemnation of a continuing state of emergency.

Parliament’s approval of state of emergency constitutional, Supreme Court rules

The Supreme Court has legitimised parliament’s approval of President Abdulla Yameen’s state of emergency with less than half of lawmakers present last Tuesday.

Army bars media from parliament meetings

Soldiers blocked the entrance to the parliament building, saying there had been no written notification allowing journalists access.

Maldives threatened with ‘targeted measures’