Government proposes Transitional Justice Commission
The commission will investigate state and state-owned institutions and its leaders from January 2012 to November 2018
February 2012: Officers joining protest against then President Mohamed Nasheed
The government has proposed a bill to establish a Transitional Justice Commission to investigate any violation of human rights by state institutions in the last seven years.
The Transitional Justice Bill was proposed on Monday by MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, of the main ruling party.
The bill states that the commission will investigate state and state-owned institutions and its leaders from January 2012 to November 2018 for any human rights violations.
The President will have the authority to appoint and dismiss the five members in the commission.
According to the bill, after establishment, the commission should be open to accepting cases for two months and allow those accused to have legal counsel.
This commission will have the power to make arrests under court order, confiscate passports under court order, give summons and take statements, do search and seizures under court order, along with all the other powers of investigative authorities.
After conducting its investigation, the commission is required to file the case it at the Prosecutor General’s office.
The bill states that an ombudsman office should also be established to act as a mediator on civil cases that the commission investigates. Only those qualified to be judges should be appointed to the office.
After the commission files a case for prosecution, the Prosecutor General’s office is to file the lawsuit within 15 days, and the lower court is to give its verdict within 45 days. The verdict can be appealed within 10 days and the High Court is to give its verdict within 30 days.
