MDP to appeal Hulhumal

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has decided to appeal against an order issued by the Hulhumalé Magistrate Court on the Maldives Police Services, ordering the latter to ensure that MDP leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed is present at a hearing to be held at the Court on Sunday.

Nasheed has been summoned by the Hulhumalé Magistrate Court in relation to a criminal prosecution against him for the unlawful arrest and enforced disappearance of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdullah Muhammad during Nasheed’s presidency, in January this year. Although Nasheed was summoned to the first hearing of the proceedings on Sunday last week, Nasheed ignored the court summon, and left for a campaign tour in the southernmost atolls of the country, without even informing the court.

Hulhumalé Court then rescheduled the first hearing for the coming Sunday, and issued an order on the police obliging the latter to enforce it.

Hassan Latheef, member of Nasheed’s legal team, said today that they were trying to appeal to the High Court against the order. However, he said that the appeal had not yet been registered as a case may be registered during weekends only with the approval of the Chief Judge of the High Court, and he had not been available.

“The Registrar of the High Court said that the appeal case could be registered only with the approval of the Chief Judge, and that Chief Judge’s phone was turned off”, said Hassan.

While Hassan said that the appeal case had not yet been filed with the High Court, a Press Statement issued today by MDP said that it was already filed with the High Court. The Press Statement also said that Nasheed was ready to produce himself at the High Court.

Attempts to obtain a comment on the issue from a High Court official have not yet been fruitful.