President Muizzu nominates Habeeb for HRCM membership

President Mohamed Muizzu has nominated Ismail Habeeb, the former vice president of Elections Commissioner (EC), as a member of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).

The President’s Office opened applications for HRCM membership in June in light of the resignation of Dr. Ahmed Adhuham Abdulla, who had been serving as a member of the Commission, back in October.

Habeeb was among the applicants who applied for the post.

A letter by President Muizzu seeking approval to appoint Habeeb to the post was read at Monday’s parliamentary sitting.

Subsequently, Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla forwarded the matter to the Human Rights and Gender Committee for further review.

Habeeb joined EC in 2003, as an administrative worker. He later became a member of the commission, and served two full terms during which he held the post of the commission's vice president as well. 

The commission’s regulations bars members from serving more than two terms. Therefore, Habeeb was forced to leave the commission after 21 years of service upon the expiration of his term on March 13^th.

Meanwhile, the tenure of the commission’s chairman Fuad Thaufeeq who is also serving a second term, is set to expire in November.