Kangaroo courts upholding more trumped-up charges, says ex-Pres.

Leader of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that the charges levied against Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim and its parliamentary group leader Abdulla Riyaz are ‘more trumped-up charges [being] upheld by kangaroo courts’.

He made the comment via his official twitter account on Wednesday evening, saying that the charges against both lawmakers ‘are politically motivated’.

The tweet came a few hours after charges were levied against Qasim and Riyaz; Qasim has been charged with bribery, abuse of power and influencing voters; while Riyaz was charged with obstruction. Their preliminary hearings are scheduled for Thursday.

Both MPs have been summoned to police for questioning multiple times, with Qasim having been arrested on April 6 on allegations of bribery, attempting to hide evidence, sway a voter; and issued a six-day remand the next day.

However, High Court, on Wednesday, ordered for Qasim to be released, citing article 13 of the Parliament Privileges Act, which stated that ‘a parliamentarian can only be arrested in relation to an ongoing criminal prosecution at the behest of the Prosecutor General’s Office at superior court’.

The court ruling also noted that Criminal Court’s warrant for the Maamigilli constituency MP ‘was granted outside legal ambit’.

Qasim’s legal team notes that due to the High Court ruling on their client’s arrest, ‘the chain of events and investigations were also based on illegal grounds, rendering it null'.

Following Qasim's release on Wednesday, Nasheed and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom commended his strength and courage.