Former Home Minister Umar Naseer has said that two Supreme Court justices were dismissed because they refused to make deals with the government.
Justices Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir were dismissed by the government-controlled parliament on Wednesday after denying them the right to defend themselves.
In a post on X, Umar said Azmiralda and Mahaz and former Justice Husnu Suood were among the few most capable, fair and experienced judges in the Maldives.
Earlier, Suood resigned in protest of intimidation and influence from President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and his Attorney General (AG) Ahmed Usham.
“Today, these people were dismissed as justices because the government found out they cannot make a deal with them and they would maintain the principles of justice,” Umar posted.
Azmiralda and Mahaz were dismissed based on a report sent to the parliament after an abrupt and unlawful inquiry conducted by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). They were not allowed to defend themselves during the JSC proceedings and the parliament's Judiciary Committee meetings.
Earlier on Tuesday, the parliament's Counsel General Fathimath Filza also said the investigation was unlawful and due process was not followed.
JSC abruptly began disciplinary proceedings against the justices after the Supreme Court accepted a constitutional case to quash a constitutional amendment which empowered political parties to disqualify MPs for floor crossing.
The proceedings were launched after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) fabricated a criminal investigation and sent a letter to the JSC against standard procedure.
The JSC subcommittee formed for the proceedings had three members - two of them are directly appointed by Muizzu. They are his representative and the President of the Civil Service Commission.
The two justices were dismissed despite repeated calls from the Maldives Bar Council and multiple international organisations on the government to uphold values of justice, fairness and due process.
In a post on X after his dismissal, Mahaz wrote that he had never bowed to any influence from inside or outside the Supreme Court.
In a statement, Azmiralda said she was dismissed based on a fictional allegation and an unlawful inquiry and described it as an attack on the entire judiciary.
