Parliament rejects emergency motion submitted on Yameen’s murder

Hithadhoo South Constituency Member of Parliament Ali Nizar has said that the Parliament had rejected the emergency motion he had submitted to the Parliament regarding the murder of blogger and social media activist Yameen Rasheed.

The motion was submitted to the Parliament three days after his brutal murder.

Nizar said at the time he had submitted the motion; the Parliament was in recess. Noting that the Parliament was opening after a long recess of 53 days, Nizar said the motion he had submitted had not been listed in the agenda. Any motion submitted by a Parliamentarian must be debated on in the next session.

Nizar said he had contacted the Parliament Secretariat, who had responded by stating that the matter is not an emergency motion any more.

Nizar added the urgency of the issue had not dissipated, adding that family, friends and public were still concerned about the murder. He further added that as an elected public official he had the right to speak on the issue.

Nizar said the Parliamentarians had no agenda apart from halting such crimes and holding state institutions accountable to their mandates. He noted that both Government allied MPs and opposition MPs had to have the courage to speak on such issues that are pertinent to national interests.

Yameen’s best friend and missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan’s case was also submitted to the Parliament, but had been rejected in the same manner.

Yameen’s father, Hussain Rasheed has been working tirelessly to bring the murderers of his son to justice. As such, he has called on the Government to hold an independent inquiry and to invite UN experts for the investigation.

Yameen, a vocal figure on the local twittersphere, had been an advocate of free speech and social justice. He was murdered on the early hours of 23rd April.