The conviction of former president Mohamed Nasheed shows immense government influence on criminal proceedings, says lawyer Ibrahim Riffath.

Riffath, a member on Nasheed’s team of nine lawyers, said in an interview with RaajjeTV that the basis on which the Supreme Court ordered his release on February 1st is also this influence.

Riffath said that the conviction is in violation of local and international laws and should not be considered valid, and was the result of Nasheed’s political allegiance.

“Without due process, there is absolutely no way that a trial can be considered just. It is clear that Nasheed was sentenced for his political ideologies”, Riffath said.

Riffath said that that Nasheed’s lawyers were not given adequate opportunity to present his defence and that the Criminal Court had acted in ways that can only be ‘considered inappropriate’ for a court of law.  

Further, the prominent lawyer said that the Maldivian legal system needs substantial reformation and that fundamental aspects of justice and law are only being introduced recently. Riffath also said that laws and legal procedures that are ratified are also not implemented, and that rectifying these matters will greatly improve said legal system.