Maldives: Judicial Tyranny and an Autocratic President
by Dr S.Chandrasekharan
( June 23, 2016, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) Perhaps no where else in the World are the terrorism laws are being misused so blatantly as in Maldives for political purposes and that too with the active connivance of the Judiciary.
On the other hand, the real terrorists or potential terrorists are sneaking away to Syria while innocent political opponents and those opposed to President Yameen and his regime are being terrorised with terrorism laws.
Again, nowhere else in the World is the President being openly accused of large scale corruption as in Maldives with the opposition flaunting details of deposits made in President’s name elsewhere.
Judicial Tyranny:
Those outside Maldives who have an elementary knowledge of jurisprudence will be appalled by the way trials are conducted particularly by the “terror judge” Abdul Baree Yousouf who has been involved in sentencing former President Nasheed, former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim ( it is coming to light that he was framed) and the Adhaalat chairman Sheikh Imran to sentences of more than ten years.
A rough copy of the speech made by Sheikh Imran on last year’s May day 2015 is enclosed for information and readers could make their own judgement whether this would first invite terrorism laws and if so whether a sentence of 12 years was justified. It is said that Judge did not even have the courage to look at the accused while delivering the judgement and that he just returned to his chambers after reading out the sentence with his head down!
In this particular case, Judge Baree Yousouf in the course of the trial declared in the court “I have already made a decision in the case”- ( to give him 12 years!). When the Defence Lawyers moved the court for change of the judge on several and ethical and disciplinary issues, it was rejected.
In the course of the trial, the Defence was given just one hour to produce the Defence Witnesses and when they asked for more time, it was summarily rejected. They soon found that their telephones have been disconnected and no defence witness could be called within the stipulated time.
Shiekh Imran is unlikely to get any relief in the appellate court as two of the three judge panel set up to hear the appeal were former criminal court judges who presided over the first hearing of the Sheikh Imran’s case in the lower court!
Adeeb’s Case:
