Representatives from the Maldives United
Opposition, former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President
Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, have on Thursday met with officials at the UK
Foreign and Commonwealth Office to share concerns regarding the
government’s continued crackdown on political opponents.
According to the entity formed by the Maldivian opposition leaders in exile earlier this month, during the meeting, Nasheed and Jameel had expressed concern regarding the regime’s vicious attempt to dismantle the country’s multi-party democracy by suppressing dissent and arresting anybody who dares to criticize the government.
Meanwhile, a United States State Department spokesperson has told an Indian daily newspaper ‘the Hindu’ that the country is deeply “concerned over the [Maldivian] government’s intolerance for criticism or competition”.
According to an article published by the newspaper on June 16, the U.S. official said that the country saw “legitimate political space narrowing in the Maldives”.
“Too many opposition politicians are behind bars because of the government’s intolerance for criticism or competition," the official reportedly said.
“We support a vibrant political opposition, just as we support vibrancy in all democratic institutions. Unfortunately, we continue to see political leaders sent to jail after flawed judicial processes,”
The comments come days after the Maldives’ Criminal Court sentenced former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb to 15 years in prison for masterminding the explosion aboard the presidential speedboat and an additional 10 years for the possession of illegal firearms.
The court had also sentenced the Maamigili Magistrate Judge Ahmed Nihan and the former Prosecutor General Muhuthaz Mushin to 17 years in prison each for orchestrating the unlawful arrest of the President.
Newly formed Maldives United Opposition had on Tuesday said that the primary objective of its coalition is to remove President Abdulla Yameen from power “through all legal and lawful means and pave the way for a transitional administration" and expressed concern that judges had become “incompetent cronies of the regime”.
The United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussain had also recently expressed concern about the “shrinking democratic space in the Maldives” at the 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council.
According to the entity formed by the Maldivian opposition leaders in exile earlier this month, during the meeting, Nasheed and Jameel had expressed concern regarding the regime’s vicious attempt to dismantle the country’s multi-party democracy by suppressing dissent and arresting anybody who dares to criticize the government.
Meanwhile, a United States State Department spokesperson has told an Indian daily newspaper ‘the Hindu’ that the country is deeply “concerned over the [Maldivian] government’s intolerance for criticism or competition”.
According to an article published by the newspaper on June 16, the U.S. official said that the country saw “legitimate political space narrowing in the Maldives”.
“Too many opposition politicians are behind bars because of the government’s intolerance for criticism or competition," the official reportedly said.
“We support a vibrant political opposition, just as we support vibrancy in all democratic institutions. Unfortunately, we continue to see political leaders sent to jail after flawed judicial processes,”
The comments come days after the Maldives’ Criminal Court sentenced former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb to 15 years in prison for masterminding the explosion aboard the presidential speedboat and an additional 10 years for the possession of illegal firearms.
The court had also sentenced the Maamigili Magistrate Judge Ahmed Nihan and the former Prosecutor General Muhuthaz Mushin to 17 years in prison each for orchestrating the unlawful arrest of the President.
Newly formed Maldives United Opposition had on Tuesday said that the primary objective of its coalition is to remove President Abdulla Yameen from power “through all legal and lawful means and pave the way for a transitional administration" and expressed concern that judges had become “incompetent cronies of the regime”.
The United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussain had also recently expressed concern about the “shrinking democratic space in the Maldives” at the 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council.
source- https://raajje.mv/67158
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