President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has nominated Ismail Habeeb for membership at the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM).

The president has forwarded the nomination for review, to the People’s Majlis.

Habeeb is the former Vice President of the Elections Commission (EC).

The letter addressed by the president, seeking parliamentary approval to appoint Habeeb as a member at HRCM, was read out at the parliamentary sitting on Monday.

The nomination has since been referred to the Human Rights and Gender Committee of the People’s Majlis, for further review.

An application window for a vacancy at HRCM was last opened during June 2024, following the recent resignation of Vice President of the commission Dr. Ahmed Adhuham Abdulla. It was initially opened in October 2023.

Appointments to HRCM are made under the powers vested to the president under Section 5(a) of the Human Rights Commission Act (Act 6/2006), which stipulates that the members of HRCM shall be appointed by the president after parliamentary approval.

According to the Human Rights Commission Act of the Maldives, the commission must comprise of five members.