The High Court’s conviction of Kinbidhoo constituency MP Abdulla Riyaz is the product of unjust proceedings that were ‘utterly politically motivated’, the Joint Opposition has said.

In a statement on the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s website, the Joint Opposition – a coalition of parties aligned against the current government – said that the proceedings were marred by incompetence and negligence.

The statement also accuses the presiding judges of being ‘completely void of any sense of justice’ and that the proceedings were void of opportunity for the parliamentarian’s legal defence and that the appeal of the Criminal Court’s acquittal contained elements previously not included in the case.

Further, the Joint Opposition said that the case itself is ‘baseless’ and an attempt to hinder MP Riyaz’s efforts towards democratic reform in the Maldives.

The High Court on Tuesday overturned a lower court ruling and found the lawmaker to be guilty of the obstruction charges put forth against him and sentenced him to four months and 24 days in prison.

The Criminal Court acquitted Riyaz of the charges in July 2017. Riyaz had been accused of obstructing the conduct of a law enforcement officer through refusing to provide access to his mobile phone.