Government's unlawful activities have gone too far, no way to return to right path: Lawyer Zalif

Lawyer Adam Zalif has said that President Abdulla Yameen’s government’s unlawful activities have “gone too far” and that there is no way for him to return to the ‘right path’.

In an interview to RaajjeTV’s Fala Surukhee programme on Wednesday night, Zalif- brother of detained Dhangethi constituency MP Ilham Ahmed, highlighted that the government “pays no heed to laws and regulations” and that it “has gone too far”.

“The government has conducted too many unlawful activities, so there is no way for them to do right,” he said.

Zalif, who was also arrested and detained over police’s investigation into his brother, also expressed concern over the health conditions of those detained, and highlighted that they are kept in a way that they “are unable to even communicate with each other”.

While a number of parliamentarians are currently in police custody, Zalif noted that the MPs are detained “after introducing new laws, against the Constitution,” adding that “this is a huge deprivation of the people’s rights”.

Zalif further highlighted an individual cannot be arrested and detained “on a whim,” and that the purpose of laws such as the Criminal Procedure Act is to ensure that the people’s rights are protected.

Speaking on the various political prisoners, he said that there is no evidence against them and that some officers are following orders “not because they want to, but as to follow their command”.

Furthermore, the lawyer said that former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and the two justices- arrested on allegations of conspiring to overthrow the government- are being detained after taking away the privileges granted to them under the Constitution, and that President Yameen, police and military leaders, and those involved in their arrest and subsequent detention “must take responsibility for this”.

Zalif’s brother, Dhan’gethi constituency MP Ilham has been in police custody since February, over allegations of planning a coup against the government and giving and accepting bribes, as well as terrorism. Criminal Court had, in March, ordered to keep him remand until end of trial. MP Ilham is one of the many opposition officials that were arrested under the state of emergency declared in the country from 5^th February to 22^nd March.

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