Home Minister denies charges

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer has pled not guilty to charges of disobeying State orders, at a Criminal Court hearing today.

The charges were brought against Umar Naseer for allegedly encouraging public disorder during a protest against former president Mohamed Nasheed’s government in January 2012.

In its indictment, the State has accused Umar Naseer of calling for 2000 volunteers, willing to follow his instructions and use 50, 12-foot ladders to storm the walls of the country’s main military headquarters. The rally was held near the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) building in Male' on 23 January 2012.

The State also has also accused Umar Naseer of encouraging the participants of the rally to stage protests on a number of key occasions, specifically when diplomats arrived at the President’s Office, when UN representatives arrived at the airport, and outside the State broadcaster MNBC’s main station.

At the hearing, Umar Naseer’s lawyer Mohamed Ibrahim requested time for the defence to review the charges. He said that the Home Minister did not receive the summons to attend court today and that he was informed of the hearing though media reports.

The charges against Home Minister Umar Naseer was filed with the Criminal Court on 12 December 2013.