Politics

President nominates campaign staff as broadcast regulators

The president’s spokesperson said the names of all 23 individuals who applied to the president’s office will be forwarded for parliamentary approval today to fill six upcoming vacancies on the Maldives Broadcasting Commission. However, he explained, the names were ranked in order of preference.

Audit uncovers discrepancies in tourism ministry’s financial records

The tourism ministry’s audit report for 2013 has revealed shocking discrepancies amounting to more MVR300,000 (US$19,400) in the records of income collected from the billion-dollar Maldivian tourism industry during the financial year in review.

MP questions composition of parliament’s graft-probe committee

The parliament’s public accounts oversight committee has launched an inquiry into corruption cases under investigation since 2008, including the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation corruption scandal.

Two judges in Imran’s criminal court trial are part of panel hearing appeal

Two former criminal court judges who presided over the first hearing of Sheikh Imran Abdulla’s trial are among a three-judge High Court panel hearing the Adhaalath Party leader’s appeal of his terrorism conviction. Imran’s trial was stalled in June last year when Judges Abdulla Didi and Shujau Usman were promoted to the High Court.

Maldives moves ahead with criminalising defamation

Government proposes mandatory re-registration of opposition party members

A ruling party MP has proposed changes to the Political Parties Act to make it compulsory for members of political parties to resubmit membership forms with fingerprints.

Fugitive admits to paying Omnia Stategy on behalf of Maldives government

“Let’s say Al Capone were to come along and tell you to do something, well you would just do it. In the Maldives, the president and Vice President are like Al Capone, so I did what they said,” says Mohamed Allam Latheef, owner of a company implicated in the Maldives biggest corruption scandal.

Parliamentary committee rejects judge’s complaint over abrupt transfer

The parliament’s independent institutions committee has rejected High Court Judge Dr Azmiralda Zahir’s complaint regarding her transfer to the court’s newly established southern branch.

First couple departs to Singapore on unofficial trip

President Abdulla Yameen and First Lady Fathmath Ibrahim departed for Singapore on an unofficial visit last night in the first couple’s first overseas trip since the September 28 blast on the presidential speedboat.

Maldives urged to ‘end arbitrary actions targeting judges’

The International Commission of Jurists condemned today “arbitrary and politically motivated actions against judges” in the Maldives, shining the spotlight on the arrest of a magistrate judge and the abrupt transfer of two top judges in the past year.

Police set new restrictions on lawyer visits to detainees

Detainees can now meet their lawyers for 90 minutes, twice a week, between 9:00am to 10:00pm on working days. Family visits are limited to one hour every two weeks.

Yameen defends death penalty

Ex-defence minister in Singapore on medical leave from prison

Jailed former defence minister Mohamed Nazim left the Maldives for Singapore on Friday on government-authorised 21-day medical leave from prison.

Criminal court bench overhauled

The judicial watchdog has launched a major overhaul of the criminal court bench as the court prepares to begin hearing terror charges against officials and soldiers implicated in an alleged assassination attempt on President Abdulla Yameen.

Yameen concedes need for judicial reform, appeals for MDP to join talks

President Abdulla Yameen conceded Wednesday the need for reforming the Maldivian judiciary and renewed appeals for the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party to engage in dialogue with the government to resolve a year-long political crisis.

Human rights watchdog slams “unacceptable” misogynistic behaviour from MPs

Misogynistic remarks and behaviour from MPs that were derogatory towards women at recent sittings of the People’s Majlis are “unacceptable,” the human rights watchdog has said, urging lawmakers not to undermine national efforts for women’s empowerment.

Majlis votes to keep list of designated terror groups secret

The new law states that the home minister must compile a “positive list” comprising of organisations that Maldivians are permitted to join. An individual who wants to join or promote an unlisted group has to seek permission from the home ministry.

Ex MP denies bribing president, judges to avoid jail sentence

Former MP Abdulla Jabir has denied paying MVR10 million (US$648,500) to President Abdulla Yameen to influence the outcome of his trial in early 2014 after the opposition-aligned station Raajje TV aired a phone conversation between the resort businessmen and former Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb.

Opposition accused of campaigning for tourism boycott at ITB fair

Maldives cancels PR deal with Podesta

The government of Maldives has cancelled a US$300,000 PR deal with Washington-based lobbyist Podesta, following former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb’s arrest on a charge of plotting to kill President Abdulla Yameen.