Supreme Court overturns Home Minister Imran’s terrorism conviction

Imran was sentenced to 12 years over his speech at the 2015 May Day protest.

Judgment due in review of Home Minister Imran’s conviction

The top court concluded a review of Sheikh Imran’s terrorism conviction.

Ibu meets Sheikh Imran, police chief

It was Solih’s first meeting with a coalition partner since winning the election.

Sheikh Imran rejects presidential pardon

He was offered freedom if he joined the government and a chance to leave the Maldives with his family.

Sheikh Imran urged to defect to Maldives ruling party

The ruling party’s VP pick has raised eyebrows in some quarters.

Supreme Court rejects appeal from jailed Adhaalath Party leader

Five months after the appeal was filed, the Supreme Court’s registrar informed Sheikh Imran’s lawyers that there were no grounds to challenge the High Court’s decision to uphold the 12-year jail sentence.

Government accused of undermining all-party talks with preconditions

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party has accused the government of attempting to obstruct the upcoming all-party talks by demanding council-endorsed representatives and ruling out negotiating with jailed opposition leaders.

Jailed opposition leaders invited to join talks

“The government must not expect to hold our leaders as hostages at the negotiating table! Negotiations must be sincere and should pave way for political reconciliation,” Shidhatha Shareef, chair of the Adhaalath Party’s foreign relations committee, told The Maldives Independent.

Imran petitions UN rights panel over terror conviction

A local human rights NGO has petitioned the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on Sheikh Imran Abdulla’s behalf, requesting a judgment declaring the Adhaalath Party president’s terror conviction illegal.

Sheikh Imran, ex-defence minister transferred to house arrest

Home Minister Umar Naseer said the high-profile prisoners were transferred while their special protection unit in ‘Asseyri’ jail undergoes maintenance. But the main opposition party contends that the move is aimed at appeasing the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group ahead of an upcoming review of the Maldives’ progress on resolving a year-long political crisis.

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.

Friday sermon has become a ‘political weapon’

The Islamic ministry has once again provoked a storm of criticism with a Friday sermon that warned Maldivians against slander amidst allegations of corruption against President Abdulla Yameen.

Court reprimands prominent lawyers critical of Imran’s jailing

The criminal court reprimanded today two prominent lawyers who criticised the recent jailing of religious conservative Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla on a terrorism charge.

Government defends imprisonment of ‘extremist’ Sheikh Imran

“Extremism does not necessarily take the form of religious extremism; a call by an individual to commit violence in the name of a political ideology is as dangerous, and must be dealt with in the same way,” the foreign ministry said in a statement defending Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran’s terrorism conviction.

‘A step backward’: US and UK condemns Sheikh Imran’s terrorism conviction

Translation: Sheikh Imran’s speech at May Day mass rally

Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran was found guilty of terrorism last night over a speech he made at a mass anti-government protest on May 1 last year. The court said Imran’s speech led to violent clashes between protesters and police officers on the night of May 1.

Sheikh Imran sentenced to 12 years in prison

Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla has been found guilty of terrorism and sentenced to 12 years in prison.Imran was accused of inciting violence at a historic 20,000-strong anti-government demonstration on May 1 last year. He was charged under article two of the 1990 Anti-Terrorism Act, which states that promoting fear amongst the public or causing destruction of property are acts of terrorism.

Sheikh Imran returned to jail from house arrest

After nearly four months under house arrest, Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla was abruptly transferred to prison last night until the conclusion of his ongoing terrorism trial.

Court bars defence witnesses in Imran’s terror trial

The criminal court has barred all defence witnesses in the on-going trial of Sheikh Imran Abdulla who was charged with terrorism over a speech made at a historic anti-government protest on May Day.

NGO accuses judge in Imran’s terrorism trial of ‘prejudice’

The Maldivian Democracy Network described Judge Bari’s behaviour as “prejudicial” towards the accused as well as in breach of the code of conduct for judges.