Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim has called on the United Nations to take immediate action to help restore ‘judicial and parliamentary authority’ in the Maldives.
In a tweet posted during today’s extraordinary sitting of the parliament, the opposition leader noted that the ‘entire democratic process [has been] hijacked by the military,’ adding that ‘Maldives needs immediate UN help to restore judicial and parliamentary authority’.
“Detention of Supreme Court Justices and threats faced by other judges and sheer brutality against MPs show dire law and order situation and collapse of law,” added Qasim.
As entire democratic process highjacked by military, Maldives needs immediate UN help to restore judicial & parliamentary authority. Detention of SC Justices & threats faced by other Judges, & sheer brutality against MPs show dire law & order situation & collapse of rule of law.
— Qasim Ibrahim (@qasimibrahim) February 19, 2018
Monday’s sitting was attended by just 39 MPs as the opposition lawmakers had boycotted it, emphasizing that it was being held unlawfully. At today’ sitting, the government proposed to extend the current state of emergency by an additional 30 days, which was sent to the Committee on National Security with the votes of 38 MPs.
According to Article 87 (b) of the Constitution, ‘voting on any matter requiring compliance by citizens shall only by undertaken when more than ½ of total membership of Majlis are present at the sitting’.
The Jumhooree Party is part of the Joint Opposition, along with Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s faction of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). All four opposition leaders are either incarcerated, detained or in self-exile.
