Politics
Majlis grants ministers authority over top civil servant
Warning that the changes would compromise the civil service’s impartiality and meritocracy, PPM MP Faris Maumoon breached the ruling party’s whip line again and voted against the bill.
19 Jul 2016, 09:00
Opposition MPs protest in parliament over jailing of Mahloof
MDP MPs clamoured for the immediate release of their jailed colleague and called for President Yameen’s resignation. Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed adjourned proceedings shortly after the protest began in the People’s Majlis chamber.
19 Jul 2016, 09:00
UK training terrorists to attack Maldives, says ruling party MP
“There’s no room now to believe that what Britain is doing now isn’t keeping a few Maldivians there and training them for a terrorist attack here,” PPM MP Riyaz Rasheed said during Monday’s sitting of parliament.
19 Jul 2016, 09:00
MP Mahloof sentenced to four months in jail
The opposition coalition’s spokesman was accused of trying to “flee” from the police after a remand hearing in April last year. Despite the conviction, Mahloof remains a lawmaker as a sitting MP can only be stripped of his seat if he is sentenced to more than one year in prison.
18 Jul 2016, 09:00
PPM MPs proceed with lawsuit against Gayoom
The ruling party MPs told local media that the lawsuit had been withdrawn. “But we’ve realised Maumoon is still not allowing for council or committee meetings, that’s why we decided to carry on with the case,” MP Shahid told The Maldives Independent.
18 Jul 2016, 09:00
UN envoy arrives in Maldives for proximity talks
Tamrat Samuel is due to begin talks with the government and opposition parties Tuesday, but the imprisonment of opposition leaders, including former President Nasheed and Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran, remains a major stumbling block.
18 Jul 2016, 09:00
Failed coup in Turkey reignites debate about Feb 7
A failed coup attempt by a faction within the Turkish military Friday night has reignited fierce debates among Maldivians on social media about the controversial transfer of power on February 7, 2012.
17 Jul 2016, 09:00
MP Mahloof arrested while promoting opposition rally
MP Ahmed Mahloof and three others were briefly detained Saturday evening. Standing atop a pickup, Mahloof was using a megaphone to invite the public to the rescheduled rally when riot police stopped the vehicle near the local market in Malé.
17 Jul 2016, 09:00
Opposition coalition reschedules first rally for July 21
The Maldives United Opposition, launched in London last month by opposition leaders in exile, had planned to hold the rally Thursday night despite the last-minute withdrawal of a permit granted by the housing ministry, but was forced to cancel due to bad weather.
16 Jul 2016, 09:00
Maldives enlists top US lobbying firm for US$55,000 a month
Amid mounting foreign pressure and the threat of targeted sanctions, Akin Gump has been employed for six months to assist the government with “outreach and communications with US government officials and media regarding ongoing priorities of the Republic of Maldives.”
15 Jul 2016, 09:00
UK considering ‘exclusion orders’ against Maldives officials
“It is crucial that concrete progress is delivered by CMAG’s September meeting. We are also considering bilateral action, including exclusion orders against senior members of the Government and the judiciary,” Hugo Swire told the House of Commons last week.
15 Jul 2016, 09:00
Government in u-turn cancels permit for opposition rally
Despite the withdrawal of the permit, the MDP has said the first rally of the new opposition coalition will go ahead as planned tonight. Maldives United Opposition Spokesman Ahmed Mahloof told said the rally will take place if the weather improves.
14 Jul 2016, 09:00
New foreign minister downplays UN request to halt execution
Contrary to reports in local media, the UN Human Rights Committee has not “ordered” the government to halt the imminent execution of a 22-year-old convict, newly-appointed Foreign Minister Dr Mohamed Asim said today.
13 Jul 2016, 09:00
UN rights committee requests halt to Humam’s execution
The UN Human Rights Committee has requested the government to halt the imminent execution of Hussain Humam Ahmed pending the outcome of its review of his case.
13 Jul 2016, 09:00
MDP celebrates anniversary behind police barricades
The main opposition party has condemned the “unlawful obstruction” of its anniversary parade as well as the “unnecessary harassment and intimidation of the participants.”
12 Jul 2016, 09:00
Ex-Islamic minister defends death penalty regulations
Dr Shaheem, the vice chancellor of the Maldives Islamic University, argued that the concerns raised by Professor Tariq Ramadan in a letter to the president last week are addressed in the regulations approved by the cabinet in April 2014 for implementing the death penalty.
11 Jul 2016, 09:00
Court threatens to hold AG in contempt
The civil court has threatened to hold Attorney General Mohamed Anil in contempt after his office decided to appeal a judgment that barred former Haveeru staff from working for any other media organisation for two years.
11 Jul 2016, 09:00
MDP to hold anniversary parade in defiance of police
At a meeting last Thursday, senior police officers informed MDP officials that political activity will not be allowed in the streets of the capital, citing complaints about traffic jams and inconvenience to pedestrians.
10 Jul 2016, 09:00
Police use pepper spray to disperse opposition prayer gathering
Riot police also thwarted on Wednesday morning a prayer gathering by opposition supporters outside the Islamic centre in Malé after the communal Eid al-Fitr prayer.
09 Jul 2016, 09:00
State to appeal ‘unlawful’ work ban on ex-Haveeru staff
The state believes a civil court order barring former Haveeru staff from working at any other media organisation for two years is unconstitutional, unlawful, invalid, and cannot be enforced, the attorney general’s office said.
09 Jul 2016, 09:00
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