Supreme Court goes nearly three months without meeting Criminal Procedures Act deadline
The Criminal Procedures Act mandated the Supreme Court to set procedures on conducting trials three months after its passing
Signboard at the entrance to the Supreme Court premises in capital city Malé
Tuesday will mark six months since Maldives adopted its landmark Criminal Procedures Act, under which the Supreme Court was mandated to determine trial regulations, three months ago.
The act was passed on July 2nd, and complements Maldives’ new penal code, which was passed in 2015 in place of one that had been used for decades.
It sets statutes of limitations for crimes and procedures under which policing institutions can conduct investigations.
Both the police and the Supreme Court was mandated to determine procedures on investigations and trials, respectively, three months after July.
While the Supreme Court has yet to do so, MP Faris Maumoon has asked the state to seize the trial proceedings against him until said procedures are set.
The charges raised against Faris, the nephew of incumbent President Abdulla Yameen and whose father was the leader of a unified ruling party and is also accredited with having brought together the opposition parties, have been described as politically motivated.
His appeal to suspend charges until the Surpeme Court meets a legally mandated deadline being denied has only been aggravated by the Criminal Court decision to remand the parliamentarian until sentencing.
