Lawyer Mahfooz barred from court

An opposition-aligned lawyer who survived a brutal stabbing has been barred from all trials for allegedly violating rules overseeing lawyers and courts.

Mahfooz Saeed, who was attacked while he was part of the legal team representing former president Mohamed Nasheed, was barred by the Department of Judicial Administration.

“If it is a decision related to me, I should be the first to have been informed. But I learned about it from another lawyer,” Mahfooz told the Maldives Independent.

“This is a very unfair decision. Measures should be taken after following the due procedure. The first step should have been to record my statement,” he added.

The lawyer is already on an indefinite suspension for submitting a petition to the Supreme Court.

SC’s decision to disbar me from all court hearings will not silence me. I will continue to speak out against this judicial dictatorship.

— Mahfooz Saeed (@MahfuzSayd) December 12, 2017

He is not allowed in court except when he is being charged or suing, according to local news outlet VFP.

A court notice stated Mahfooz had repeatedly violated rules on the conduct of lawyers and protecting the dignity of courts.

Three men were charged for the near-fatal attack on Mahfooz, one with attempted murder and the others with accessory. Police are yet to find the fourth suspect, who has been the target of a manhunt since October 2015.

Last month Maldivian media reported the three stabbing suspects were released.