Former Attorney General Dhiyana Saeed has on Thursday made a set of strong statements about the current condition of Maldives’ branches of state, in particular the judiciary.

Speaking for the first time at an opposition rally, Dhiyana said that Maldivians must not accept the decisions of the government and the Attorney General as law, just because it is imposed.

She further said that democratic principles of separating powers have been eroded in the Maldives and that legality of several decisions made by the state remain questionable.

Dhiyana also criticized the anti-defection bill, which was controversially submitted and expedited through the parliament floor, on the grounds that it appears to be a ploy to penalize political rivals.

The former attorney general took a stand against laws being used in this manner, highlighting that the legislature of any country should reflect the beliefs of its people, and should apply to them.