Qasim appeal to be filed on Sunday

Lawyers for Qasim Ibrahim said that they will file the appeal in High Court on Sunday regarding the arrest of Jumhooree Party Leader Qasim Ibrahim.

Lead lawyer Hisaan Hussain said that they were preparing the appeal and will file it first thing on Sunday.

Qasim was arrested just after midnight on Thursday, with a 15-day remand set on Friday.

The charges claim he had attempted to bribe parliamentarians in order to influence the vote of no-confidence against parliament speaker Abdulla Maseeh in the opposition’s favour, and further trying to influence the conduct of other public officials and even law enforcement forces and further trying to sway public trust against the government, thus presenting a threat to public safety – the police’s arrest warrant claimed.

Police announced at midnight on 19th April that they are investigating Qasim for disrupting national unity and inciting violence against the government.

Qasim told the press that he is being investigated under section 610 of the penal code, which is classified under ‘rioting’ outlaws inciting, aiding, or engaging in any ‘violent attempts to overthrow the government’.

He was arrested again on from his home on Thursday night, and promptly taken to a holding cell in Dhoonidhoo island.

Friday's statement had also noted the case against MP Faris Maumoon, and claimed that the government is deliberately abusing the local justice system to isolate and eradicate its opposition.