Ex-Presidents Maumoon, Nasheed expresses concern over Qasim verdict
Every defendant has the right to be tried in his presence, says Maumoon
Former Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed
Former Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed have expressed their concerns over the verdict issued on MP Qasim Ibrahim.
The former Presidents made the statements in a series of tweets issued on Friday.
President Maumoon tweeted that he was ‘concerned by denial of Qasim Ibrahim’s constitutional rights’, stating that ‘every defendant has the right to be tried in his presence in open court’. He added that ‘these fundamental rights are guaranteed for every individual in sections 42 and 51 of our Constitution.’
President Nasheed tweeted that he ‘strongly condemn(ed) politically motivated sentencing of Hon Gasim Ibrahim in absentia’ and called on President Yameen to ‘allow urgent medical treatment for’ MP Qasim.
Both the former Presidents, along with MP Qasim and Adhaalath Party’s Leader Sheikh Imran Abdullah had earlier this year, signed a coalition agreement to fight against tyranny and the injustices of this Government.
