Court kept lawyer unable to practice trade for year-and-a-half

Hussein Shameem, who was formerly deputy to the Prosecutor General, has been suspended from practicing law since November, 2015.

On November 4th, the Supreme Court revoked Shameem’s license on the grounds that he had violated its regulations on practicing the law. At the time, he was representing the now jailed former vice president, Ahmed Adheeb.

His license was revoked indefinitely shortly after the government sponsored an impeachment vote against Adheeb. The vote was called after the government declared a state-of-emergency following an explosion aboard the President’s Office’s ‘Finifenmaa’ boat, which was described as an attempt at President Abdulla Yameen’s life masterminded by Adheeb.

The allegations made against Shameem primarily concern contempt of court – speaking out against actions and decisions of the judges and defending individuals who are ‘plainly guilty’.

In February 2016, Shameem had sent a letter to the Supreme Court asking the court to specifically describe which of his actions constitute violating the regulations. The letter also asked the court to levy whichever punishment of its choosing and to expedite the case. The apex court had rejected the letter.

Judges had only heard his statement on the allegations that have been maintained against him for over year on March 19, 2017.

Shameem, an alumnus of the prominent Al-Azhar University and of the University of Sussex, was also representing notable figures of the opposition, including Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim.

He is now working to establish a union for lawyers who have either been disbarred of have had their licenses revoked unjustly.