After meeting the Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) leadership on Tuesday, Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim tweeted in defense of former president Abdulla Yameen, calling for justice for the opposition coalition's presidential candidate.
Qasim, who previously backed President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and remains part of the governing coalition, wrote in his tweet that Yameen should have the right to a fair trial.
"Regardless of whether it is president Yameen or any other Maldivian citizen, a fair trial is a basic right afforded by today's constitution. It is a human right as well," wrote Qasim, who has announced his intention to contest in the upcoming presidential election.
Reforming the judiciary and expediting court processes were campaign pledges made by the current government.
"The question that arises today is whether the current government's direction is on the journey to justice as pledged when they got all the powers?" Qasim questioned, recalling the president's pledge.
Qasim was referring to concerns that arose after some of the High Court judges who were presiding over an appeal of Yameen's 11-year prison sentence took leave while the appeal hearings were ongoing.
Adhadhu has learned that Judge Huzaifa Mohamed is on family leave. She took leave due to the illness of her child. Judge Mohamed Saleem is also due to go on leave after July 15.
The High Court did not provide much detail as the holiday of judges relates to private information.
Yameen was convicted of accepting and laundering a USD 1.1 million bribe from Yoosuf Naeem to lease Vaavu Aarah island as part of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal during his administration.
Yameen is also on trial along with businessman Ahmed 'Krik' Riza and the Sun Investment and Sun Construction and Engineering companies over the Fuggiri island's lease. The former president is accused of accepting a USD 1.1 million bribe through Riza and laundering the money through the Sun companies. The trial is ongoing at the criminal court.
Yameen was awarded the PPM-PNC presidential ticket but is not expected to be able to contest if the prison sentence remains. The coalition says Yameen's candidacy will be submitted even if the verdict is not overturned.
But Elections Commission (EC) President Fuwad Thowfeek said recently that the candidacy could not be accepted if the prison sentence remains. The PPM-PNC said that the Supreme Court would be petitioned in that case.
The opposition alleges that the government is influencing Yameen's trial through the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), an oversight body that investigates ethical complaints against judges whose members include senior figures from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party.
Changing the composition of the JSC was also a campaign pledge of President Solih. The legal framework for changing the commission's composition was only prepared and proposed to parliament this year. The government also faced criticism over the failure to fulfill the pledge.
