MDP urges to probe alleged intimidation of justices, influence on Supreme Court

The main opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has called on government institutions to investigate the case of alleged intimidation of Supreme Court justices and exerting influence on the court by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, as claimed by Justice Husnu Al Suood who resigned from the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The main opposition party made this appeal in a statement issued on Tuesday regarding the allegations of President Muizzu influencing Supreme Court justices and the court.

MDP’s statement noted that as Justice Husnu Al Suood, who resigned from the Supreme Court on Tuesday, has stated that President Muizzu is intimidating all justices of the Maldives Supreme Court and exerting influence to decide a constitutional case submitted to the court in a certain way, they call on state institutions to investigate this matter and do everything possible to ensure the independence of the judiciary.

MDP said that the parliament passed a bill to reduce the number of Supreme Court justices also upon the instruction of President Muizzu, with the aim of deciding the case as the government wants.

In the resignation letter written on Tuesday, Justice Husnu Al Suood said that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu is intimidating the court's justices and exerting influence to decide the case submitted to the Supreme Court to invalidate the constitutional amendment that allows political parties to lose parliamentary seats, in the way the president desires.

MDP said that after the Supreme Court decided it has jurisdiction to hear the case submitted by lawyer and former parliamentarian Ali Hussain to invalidate the amendment to Article 73 of the Constitution, the government is examining the case of Supreme Court justices through the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which are under full government control, without any basis, in order to decide the case as the government wants.

In addition to this, the main opposition party has called on all citizens of the Maldives to stand up against and continuously protest the unconstitutional and illegal actions being carried out by the ruling party to consolidate all three powers of the state in the hands of the president.

Article 141(c) of the Constitution states that no person, whether in an official capacity or otherwise, shall interfere with or influence or attempt to interfere with or influence the work of a justice. Therefore, MDP's statement calls on state institutions to ensure the independence of the judiciary as stipulated in the Constitution of the Maldives.

Article 141(d) of the Constitution states that all state institutions and individuals entrusted with carrying out state functions shall protect the independence of the courts and maintain their dignity and status, and shall assist and protect the courts to ensure that they are accessible to all and can function without undue influence, fear or favor.