Medhu Henveiru MP Ali Azim lied about President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during the parliament session on Wednesday, the president’s spokesperson has alleged while refusing to respond to such “lowly remarks”.
During the commotion in parliament, Azim shouted that he drinks alcohol and that Solih joined him in drinking.
A Maldivian consuming alcohol or pork is a Class 3 misdemeanour, listed under Public Order and Safety Offences in the Maldives Penal Code. A convict may receive a jail sentence ranging from six days to three months.
Spokesperson Miuvaan Mohamed told Adhadhu that Azim’s claim was a blatant lie.
“That was a lie. We do not want to respond to such lowly remarks,” he said.
According to article 90 (a) of the constitution, “No member or other person shall be liable to any proceedings in any court, and no person shall be subject to any inquiry, arrest, detention or prosecution, with respect to anything said in, produced before, or submitted to the People’s Majlis or any of its committees, or with respect to any vote given if the same is not contrary to any tenet of Islam.”
Wednesday’s parliament session was adjourned after MPs disrupted the proceeding. The parliament is currently at a standstill due to two reasons.
The no-confidence motion against deputy speaker Eva Abdulla has not been moved within the deadline stipulated by the rules and parties have been unable to come to an agreement on the new composition of standing committees.
Speaker Mohamed Nasheed has also recused himself from sittings until his impeachment motion is resolved. Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef presided over Wednesday’s sitting.
