Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) has condemned the continued detention of Galolhu-South constituency MP Ahmed Mahloof, over what it called “frivolous and politically motivated criminal charges”.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the organization with over 1300 parliamentarians from 142 nations, condemned the “persistent and repeated violations of the fundamental human rights of Parliamentarians by the authorities of Maldives, and, in particular, the continued detention of PGA Member, Hon. Ahmed Mahloof, MP, on the basis of frivolous and politically motivated criminal charges”.
During a session on ‘the parliamentary consultations addressing inequalities of the criminal justice system and the use of the death penalty,’ PGA’s Secretary-General Dr. David Donat Cattin expressed regret over the “impossibility” of inviting Mahloof in the consultations.
He further described the continued violations of human rights, especially on parliamentarians, “as an abuse of power”.
PGA further highlighted that Mahloof’s continued detention is also “in violation of essential procedural rights under domestic and international law, including the right to defense and fair proceedings,” and that its raises doubts “as to the legality and legitimacy of law-enforcement actions and the delivery of preventive measures in the Maldives”.
“In particular, it must be emphasized that if anti-terrorism laws would be applied to the case of Mr.Mahloof, PGA would have no hesitation in calling for the international community to swiftly and unequivocally respond with proportional and appropriate counter-measures under international law to such a manifest breach of fundamental freedoms and human rights in the Maldives,” reads the statement.
Arrested on March 22 under a state of emergency declared across the nation, Criminal Court had extended Mahloof’s remand by five days on March 31. The lawmaker is facing terror charges, for protesting outside the high-security Maafushi Prison.
In a statement issued on 15th February, PGA called the situation in Maldives “alarming,” and called on the government “to refrain from criminalizing dissent and denying its population the benefits of democratic governance and the Rule of Law”.
