APF calls on President to preserve independence of HRCM

The Asia Pacific Forum (APF) of National Human Rights Institutions has sent a letter to President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, urging him to ensure that the independence of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) is preserved.

The letter, dated 30 September 2014 and addressed to President Yameen, was sent by Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, Dr Ali Ben Smaikh Al-Marri.

This is the second letter by APF in relation to this issue. The first letter was sent on 24 September 2014.

This comes in relation to a suo moto case initiated by the Supreme Court against the five members of the HRCM, following the submission of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council by the HRCM. The court has claimed that the review contains false information, which could result in loss of public confidence in the judiciary.

In the first letter, the APF noted that in expressing its considered opinion to the UPR, the HRCM was fulfilling its official and legal mandate; and urged the President to “preserve the independence of the HRCM and guarantee the immunity of members of the HRCM”.

In the second letter, the APF noted that the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights on 25 September 2014, which was co-sponsored by the Maldives.

“I therefore sincerely hope that the letter and the spirit of the resolution will be applied in the Maldives to ensure that the independence of the Maldives Human Rights Commission is preserved and its immunity from prosecution is guaranteed,” read the letter dated 30 September 2014.

The APF is a member organisation of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) of the Asia Pacific region. Its membership consists of 22 human rights institutions including the Maldives, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Oman, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.