High Court overturns Justice Ali Hameed's conviction

The High Court has on Wednesday overturned Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed’s conviction on charges of obstruction of justice.

Justice Hameed was arrested alongside Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and parliament put through an amendment to the local Judicature Act that effectively disqualified them after this arrest.

Hameed’s wife had also been arrested over the charges put forth against him and their lawyers have complained about violation of rights in detention.

The Criminal Court in May sentenced both apex court justices to nearly five months in prison, on charges of obstructing government administration and justice.

The justices were arrested in February, along with former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – whom Nasheed defeated through ballots in 2008 – during the political crisis that ensued after the Supreme Court ordered the release of political prisoners.

While the prisoners were ordered to be released on the grounds of violations of due process during their trials, the former president and justices were accused of conspiring to overthrow the government.

They were arrested and initially tried for terrorism but sentenced for not providing police with access to their mobile phones.

After the arrests of their colleagues, the remaining members of the apex court bench nullified the ruling.