MP Nizar criticizes authorities' decision to charge two justices, over ruling signed by all five

Hithadhoo-South constituency MP Ali Nizar has said that action must be taken against all five justices at the Supreme Court, “not just two of them,” over the ruling issued on February 1.

He said this while speaking on RaajjeTV’s “Mi Raees” programme on Friday night, where he criticized the authorities’ decision to charge only two justices over a ruling signed by all five justices of the Supreme Court.

Noting that their arrest and detention was against the Constitution, MP Nizar emphasized that the Constitution does not allow even the President to arrest the justices “like that”. He added that “what we saw was the President doing whatever he pleases, after declaring a state of emergency, suspending various Articles of the Constitution”.

He reiterated that the state of emergency was declared unconstitutionally, adding that this leaves the people with no option, other than to raise their voices against the government. However, he noted that the people are not being allowed to do so.

While the Supreme Court had, on 1st February, issued a ruling to release nine high-profile political prisoners and reinstate 12 opposition parliamentarians unseated by the Elections Commission, President Abdulla Yameen refused to implement the order, and had instead declared a 15-day state of emergency on 5th February.

The same night, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed were arrested, over taking bribes and conspiring to overthrow the government. Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the nation for 30 years, was arrested the same night.

While the state of emergency was extended by 30 days, through a parliament vote held against the constitutionally required quorum, a few days before the state of emergency expired, the Criminal Court ordered to keep all three in remand for the remainder of their investigations and trials.