MDP National Council resolves to protest against the Judiciary

National Council of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has resolved today to go out on protest against the Maldivian Judiciary, claiming that the Judiciary is not dispensing justice as it should be dispensed.

A resolution to go on protests against the law courts of the Maldives was passed today, in an impromptu meeting of the National Council of the ruling party, by a unanimous decision of 68 Council Members present, following a motion to that effect by Council Member Mariya Ahmed Didi.

Proposing the resolution, Mariya accused the courts of conniving with senior officials of the former government in order to initiate lawsuits and prosecutions against the officials of the current government and members of MDP.

Mariya said that a democratically elected entity having popularity among the people needed to stand up in order to reform the Judiciary, and that repeated complaints about the Judiciary meant that it was time to do something about the matter.

Ahlan Fahmy, Deputy President of MDP, said that judges in the courts had a political affiliation and that they were highly biased against MDP, and that the courts delayed cases involving officials of former government and paid attention to other cases due to political influence.

Ibrahim Mohamed Salih, President of the MDP Parliamentary Group said that “the courts go on sentencing individuals who support MDP” and that therefore the members representing his constituency would support for a resolution to conduct demonstrations against the courts.

The resolution to protest against the Judiciary has come on the eve of a hearing at the Supreme Court in a debt recovery case against MDP’s prominent member and MP Mohamed Musthafa, which, if it is decided against Musthafa, can cost him his seat in Parliament. The hearing has been scheduled for 3:30 pm today. The National Council also decided that the demonstrations would be carried out outside the Supreme Court building during the time of the hearing.