Gov’t intimidation of judges submitted to int’l organizations
On 26 February 2025, Supreme Court Justices Husnu al Suood, Mahaz Ali Zahir, and Dr. Azmiralda Zahir were abruptly suspended by JSC
Former SC Justice Husnu al Suood speaking to press (file photo)
A case regarding the government intimidating judges by suspending three Supreme Court judges has been submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, European Union (EU), and the Commonwealth of Nations.
The case of suspending Supreme Court judges and intimidating judges was submitted to the UN Human Rights Commissioner, EU and Commonwealth by Husnu al Suood who recently resigned from his position as a Justice of the Supreme Court. Suood resigned on 4 March 2025 in protest of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's unconstitutional influence on the judiciary of the Maldives.
In the case submitted by Suood to the UN Human Rights Commissioner, EU and Commonwealth, he included issues related to how the judges were suspended and the attempted changes to the law to alter the Supreme Court bench. Suood stated that he and two other judges were suspended to obstruct the Supreme Court hearing on the case of changing the constitution to allow loss of seats at the People’s Majlis for floor crossing.
In addition to this, Suood highlighted that before suspending the judges, the government submitted a bill to the People’s Majlis to reduce the number of Supreme Court judges from seven to five, which was passed by the government majority. He also stated that the government interfered with the independence of the judiciary in other ways and pressured to dismiss the case of revoking parliamentary seats that was being heard by the Supreme Court.
In the case submitted by Suood, he emphasized that the government, through Attorney General Ahmed Usham, sent an agent to threaten the judges, including Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan, claiming they would investigate ethical issues of Supreme Court judges.
Suood stated that although the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) suspended three Supreme Court judges claiming the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was investigating criminal cases against them, no details of these cases have been revealed so far.
Further, Suood mentioned in his submission that while the Supreme Court was hearing the case of revoking parliamentary seats, the president appointed loyal political figures to the Judicial Service Commission to exert influence, and has been interfering with the judiciary in various ways since coming to power.
Suood also shared the suspension of judges Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir along with him to the World Bank and IMF when submitting the case to the UN Human Rights Commissioner, European Union, and Commonwealth.
On 26 February 2025, Supreme Court Justices Husnu al Suood, Mahaz Ali Zahir, and Dr. Azmiralda Zahir were abruptly suspended by JSC. Later, Suood resigned from his position. The cases of Mahaz and Azmiralda are still being investigated by the JSC.
When the three Supreme Court judges were suspended abruptly, lawyers were present at the court for a hearing to decide on a temporary order to prevent the loss of parliamentary seats until a decision was made on the constitutional amendment allowing members to lose their seats if they leave or are expelled from their party.
The president returned the Fifth Amendment Bill to the Courts Act to the People’s Majlis for reconsideration as per Article 91(a) of the Constitution. The People’s Majlis did not reject it but sent it back to the committee. The Parliamentary Group (PG) leader of main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) Ibrahim Falah proposed to send it back to committee for further review. The bill was sent to the Judiciary Committee for further review with 57 votes.
