MDP criticises prison sentence against MP Hamid

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has criticised the Supreme Court ruling yesterday, whereby it sentenced Henveiru-south MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor to prison for six months.

MDP said that Hamid was sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court, however, the sentence for similar cases in the past has been a fine of MVR 75 or a prison sentence of 4 months. MDP pointed out that no one has been jailed for six months for contempt of court over the past eight years.

MDP condemned the Supreme Court ruling, and said that the purpose of the ruling was to ensure loss of majority in the parliament for MDP.

The party also noted that as part of these efforts by the Supreme Court to influence politics, it recently sentenced MPD Parliamentary Group Member Ali Azim and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Parliamentary Group Member Mohamed Nashiz in absentia in relation to a debt case.

MDP said that the practice of sentencing in absentia was ceased after the ratification of the new Constitution.

MDP also accused Supreme Court of scheduling the hearings of the cases against Hamid to coincide with parliament sittings. Hamid has stayed in the parliament now for eight days.

Article 11 (a) of the Parliament Privileges Act states that an MP cannot be summoned by the court or any other authority, if doing so obstructs him from attending a parliament sitting, a parliament committee meeting or any work related to the parliament.

Article 11 (b) of the Parliament Privileges Act states that a subpoena cannot be delivered to an MP while he is at the parliament.

A bill has been submitted to the parliament recently, to amend this article to allow the delivery of subpoenas to MPs while they are at the parliament. This bill was submitted by Jumhooree Party (JP).