Attorney Mohamed Nishan has said that all institutions need to help main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) fulfill its agenda for judicial reform.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s Fala Surukhee programme on Sunday night, Nishan said that most people voted for MDP for their parliamentary agenda for judicial reform.

Nishan highlighted that the MDP plans to establish transitional justice, change the legal sector’s framework, establish the public defender’s office, and improve accountability.

He said that all institutions that are responsible for upholding the rights of citizens need to give their support for MDP’s agenda. This includes the security forces, parliament, NGOs, civil service, and institutions in the legal sector.

Nishan, who has 15 years of experience in the legal sector, said that the public defender’s office has been defined in the new Constitution but is rarely mentioned. The Constitution’s Article 53(a) states that in serious criminal cases, the State shall provide a lawyer for an accused person who cannot afford to engage one. The Supreme Court’s recently announced roadmap for judicial reform also dictates the establishment of a public defender’s office.

He also said that there are obstacles to prosecuting on a death case after investigation due to legal loopholes.