15 days set as remand for Qasim Ibrahim

Criminal Court on Friday has set 15 days as remand for Maamigili Constituency Parliamentarian and Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Qasim Ibrahim.

The Parliamentarian was arrested just after midnight on Thursday and taken to Dhoonidhoo detention center. Police arrested him from his residence of M. Maafannu Villa, a while after he had returned back from JP headquarters of M. Kunooz.

He was brought to Male' at 4pm on Friday for his remand hearings.

The Court set 15 days for his remand.

The court order warranting his arrest stated that Qasim was suspected of bribery, abuse of power and influencing voters, as well as attempting to destablize the Government and create unrest in the society. These were the same charges on which was arrested and detained for a six-day period perviously.

Qasim's lawyers have decried the remand and arrest. His lawyer Hisaan Hussain had stated last night that Qasim was denied access to his lawyers at the time of arrest and that they were not show the court order authorizing his arrest.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed had called Qasim's arrest a move that would destablise the nation. Various other politicians and organizations such as IPU have voiced out against the arrest