UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers arrives in Maldives

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Ms Gabriela Knaul has arrived in Male’ yesterday.

The Foreign Ministry said that Ms Knaul is visiting the Maldives as part of her engagement with the Maldives and also as a follow up to her predecessor Dr Leandro Despouy’s visit to the Maldives in 2007.

The Ministry said that her mission to the Maldives will be focused towards assessing the independence of judges and lawyers as well as the smooth functioning of the justice system after the enactment of the new democratic Constitution in the Maldives in 2008, and that she will hold meetings with all Government and non-Governmental stakeholders including NGOs during her visit.

The President’s Office said that Ms Knaul paid a courtesy call on President Dr Mohamed Waheed this morning.

The President’s Office said that the President and the Special Rapporteur discussed measures that could be taken by the government to strengthen the judicial system of the Maldives, and that the President said during the meeting that the Maldives was optimistic that the country’s judiciary could be strengthened with UN assistance.

At the end of her visit, Ms Knaul will submit a report on the independence of the justice system, judges and lawyers in the Maldives.