In the hearing held on Wednesday over the state’s obstruction charges against Supreme Court chief justice Abdulla Saeed and justice Ali Hameed, their defence teams withdrew from the trial after describing proceedings as unlawful.

Lawyers Hisaan Hussain, Nooru’salaam Abubakur, and Masthoor Husni, who represent chief justice Saeed, withdrew from the case after informing the court that they view ongoing proceedings as unlawful and unconstitutional, and do not see a way in which they can adequately defend the rights of their clients.

While both justices are facing terrorism allegations for ‘conspiring to overthrow the government’, they are charged with a number of other crimes as well for some of which they have already been sentenced to jail terms. The obstruction charges have to do with their refusal to provide officers access to their mobile phones.

Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who is also facing the same charges as justices Saeed and Hameed, had also refused to provide officers access to his phone. Maumoon’s lawyers had also withdrawn from the case in a hearing held on Tuesday.

The trio are being tried for obstruction together and a hearing in the case has been scheduled for Thursday as well.