Supreme court lifts suspension of lawyer who represented Gayoom

The suspension of a prominent lawyer who criticised judges is to be lifted by the supreme court on Thursday.

Husnu Suood, a former attorney general who represented former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in the battle for the control of the ruling party, was disbarred temporarily on October 30.

The Department of Judicial Administration said Wednesday that Suood was suspended for flouting the apex court’s orders and challenging the judiciary’s authority in a series of tweets.

Suood has been advised not to repeat the offence, and told that his license would be reinstated Thursday, the DJA said.

Suood was not available for comment at the time of going to press.

He was temporarily disbarred after he appeared to question the integrity of the high court’s registrar in a Twitter post.

The DJA also gave some details on the disbarment of MP Ali Hussain, who they accused of flouting lawyers’ code of conduct. The police are investigating the Jumhooree Party lawmaker, the department added.

Hussain was not responding to calls at the time of going to press.

The move to suspend the two lawyers followed a supreme court statement which warned of action, expressing concern over “currents of lawlessness” resulting from challenges to court orders.

The supreme court in November 2015 disbarred prominent lawyer, Hussain Shameem, the lead defence counsel for former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, who was charged over an alleged plot to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen.

The apex court has now seized the authority to regulate the legal profession, and has routinely warned lawyers against criticism of verdicts.

Earlier in October, the criminal court suspended the license of human rights lawyer Nazim Sattar for six months.

UN rights expert has expressed concern over court’s regulation of lawyers and called for an independent self-regulating bar association.