Maldives Defense Ministry Coordinator Resigns
In a recent letter shared on social media, Defense Ministry Coordinator Mohamed Mushrif resigned from his post citing government brutality and security concerns. The letter, which was addressed to the President of the Republic of Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, described how the prosecution of former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim was unfair and fueled by political motivations. “As I do not believe that the trial of former president was a fair trial free of undue influence, and as I believe that remaining in a post under this government is frightening, I intend to resign from my post,” Mushrif wrote.
Unfair Trials
On March 13th, Nasheed, widely seen as a key figure in bringing about true democracy in the Maldives, was found guilty of terrorism charges. He currently faces 13 years in jail. Meanwhile, former Defense Minister Nazim faces accusations of plotting to assassinate President Yameen, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb, and Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed. He was arrested after the discovery of a pistol and three bullets in his apartment after a midnight raid by police.
Mushrif described the police brutality in the midnight raid of Nazim’s home, stating, “The police broke down the door of Nazim’s house in the middle of the night and scared his wife and children as if it was a terrorist attack.” He continues, “And that is not all. A bogus charge was filed against Nasheed through the Prosecutor General and he was sentenced illegally.”
According to the Maldivian constitution, the accused are given an adequate amount of time to build a defense against any charges presented against them. During Nasheed’s trial, the Criminal Court had not only refused to give Nasheed’s lawyers more time to build a case against his charges, but failed to wait for new legal counsel to be found after Nasheed’s formal lawyers resigned in protest of the Court’s unfairness.
“The speed of the proceedings combined with the lack of fairness in the procedures lead me to believe the outcome of the trial may be pre-determined,” Gabriel Knaul, UN special rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers, said in a statement last Thursday.
International Disapproval
The trials have received widespread international condemnation, including the United Nations and neighboring India.
Last Tuesday, India released a statement condemning the politically-motivated nature of the trials and the injustices imposed by President Nameen’s newly formed government. The fact that Nasheed was jailed so close to the upcoming 2018 trials, with seemingly insubstantial evidence, suggests an attempt to eliminate a formidable rival before the presidential elections. In addition, Delhi cited concerns over instability in the Maldives negatively affecting the region.
"Every hearing in the court has been a deathblow to the rule of law… It is apparent that Yameen's government, despite being seen as strong and stable, has seeds of instability within itself due to Yameen's narrow outlook which has led to sustained efforts on the part of his coterie to neutralize other potential power centers and prospective threats," a Delhi official claimed, in light several of Yameen’s aides and partners joining the opposition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also cancelled his pre-scheduled trip to Maldives on March 15 in an attempt to send a strong message to the Yameen regime.
The recent trials have also garnered the attention of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, who is calling on Maldives to allow international jurists to observe an appeal. Zeid believes that the Criminal Court had denied Nasheed a fair trial that includes both adequate time and defense witnesses.
Zeid accosted the Yameen government for conducting “a rushed process that appears to contravene the Maldives’ own laws and practices and international fair trial standards in a number of respects.”
Politically Motivated
Last year, Mushrif also objected to the dismissal of Supreme Court Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain and former Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim. The Justices were dismissed following an amendment to the number of justices sitting on Supreme Court, increasing Nameen’s hold over the government.
According to Mushrif, the fact that Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed, whose sex tapes with three prostitutes in Sri Lanka were leaked online in 2013, continues to chair the Judicial Service Commission also highlights the corruption rampant in the Maldivian government.
Ibrahim Luthfy, human rights envoy of Maldives to the United Nations, has also resigned citing similar reasons.