President Moahmed Nasheed’s legal team urges courts to allow all opportunity for due process to President Nasheed as per the Constitution and to act independently despite attempts by the Executive to influence the judicial process.

The High Court previously served summons to President Nasheed to appear in Court on February 4 and on Wednesday issued summons to appear in court on 3rd February. The amended summons was issued a day after President Nasheed requested a leave of absence to travel abroad from 4-8 February, followed by a campaign trip in the outer atolls.

The rescheduling to an earlier date also came a day after the sitting Home Minister Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed called on the courts to expedite sentencing of President Nasheed before the Presidential Elections.

President Nasheed’s legal team includes Counsel from abroad. Their schedules are arranged beforehand & their travel arrangements made such that they arrive in time for the hearing.

“It is imperative that a defendant gets all the opportunity to prepare & defend himself if justice is to be done. Courts should not be obliged to act due to Government pressure. However, looking at the facts as it stands it looks like the court is bowing down to pressure from the Government” said Mariya Didi MP, President Nasheed’s Spokesperson

Mariya also noted that while judicial proceedings against President Nasheed are being expedited, it is of deep concerns that no action has been taken against any police/MNDF officers for the brutality they subjected citizens to on 7th & 8th February 2012. Furthermore, despite recommendations to address serious issues in the judiciary from leading human rights bodies including the UN Human Rights Committee, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group.

ENDS