British Ambassador James Dauris has highlighted the importance of ensuring that judicial mechanisms remain independent and the ‘rights of prisoners are respected’, given the situation in the Maldives.
Ambassador Dauris, who has been heavily vocal about the political tension in the country, said this in a post on his Twitter account.
With Supreme Court judges, political leaders & many others under arrest and facing very serious charges in #Maldives, it’s essential that prisoners’ rights are respected. For the sake of all Maldivians, politicians should not be interfering in trials or courts’ decision-making. pic.twitter.com/Vz3UUWWwdX
— James Dauris (@JamesDauris) April 11, 2018
Dauris’ expression of these sentiments come while the high-profile trials against two Supreme Court justices and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom are ongoing.
At the last hearing for the allegations made against him, Gayoom – who was Maldives’ strongman for thirty years – pled with the judge to give him leave from incarceration.
Gayoom, made the plea due to his ‘deteriorating health’. The octogenarian is facing charges of conspiring to overthrow the government, bribery, obstruction, and destroying evidence.
Lawyers of Supreme Court justices Abdulla Saeed and Ali Hameed have also made allegations of foul play against authorities. Justice Abdulla Saeed’s lawyer had even discovered an audio recording device under her chair during a meeting between them.
