Over a week since CJ Saeed was allowed to meet with legal team

Detained Chief Justice, Abdulla Saeed’s attorney has said that she has not been allowed to meet with her client ‘for over a week’.

In tweet posted on Saturday, lawyer Hisaan Hussain noted that “it has been more than a week” since she was last allowed a lawyer visit with the Chief Justice, adding that their last meeting was held on March 29.

RaajjeMV understands that no one from the Chief Justice’s legal was able to meet with him in the past week.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, Hisaan said that the time she was given had clashed with a court hearing, and that she had informed this to the Maldives Correctional Services (MCS), asking for a different time. Noting that MCS had told her that she will be contacted over the matter, Hisaan said that MCS is yet to do so.

Hisaan added that she had requested to meet with her client over the weekend, but that she was informed that the day was “full”.

There have been multiple complaints by various lawyers, over the restrictions in meeting with those detained.

Chief Justice Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed, were arrested on February 6, hours after the declaration of a state of emergency. While the two, along with former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, were accused of bribery and conspiring to overthrow the government, they have since been charged with 'destroying evidence'.

The Supreme Court’s full bench, including Saeed and Hameed, had issued a ruling on February 1, ordering the release of nine high-profile political prisoners and reinstating the 12 opposition lawmakers unseated by the Elections Commission.

However, incumbent President Abdulla Yameen refused to implement the order, calling it a judicial coup, and had instead declared a state of emergency on 5th February, arresting the three hours soon after.

While the time duration for lawyers to visit with detainees was reduced to 30 minutes during the state of emergency, the duration was only increased a week after it was lifted.