Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative draws attention to serious failures of the Maldives government

  This submission from the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative draws attention to serious failures of the Maldives government to make progress on six priority areas identified by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) in February 2016.

CHRI visited the Maldives from 4-7 September, 2016.

CHRI expresses grave apprehension at the continuing and persistent deterioration of human rights, rule of law and democracy in the Maldives.It is clear that the government is not engaging sincerely with the Commonwealth or the United Nations to implement reforms that will

strengthen democratic institutions and enable realization of fundamental rights.

CHRI express concern about the mounting allegations of corruption against officials at the highest political level. The release of “Stealing Paradise”, a documentary by Qatar-based Al Jazeera reveals the involvement of President Yameen and his deputies in massive theft and

money laundering.

The documentary lends weight to previous allegations made by several of President Yameen’s former deputies of his close involvement with criminal gangs in the archipelago. 4 Yet, the government has not shown any inclination to investigate these very serious allegations

and bring the perpetrators to account.

CHRI strongly believes that the current environment is not at all conducive to free and fair presidential elections due in 2018.CHRI is worried that, if allowed to continue, the situation will soon push the island(maldives) nation into the brink of violence and anarchy.

CHRI urges firm action by the Commonwealth, in particular by CMAG, at its 2016 meeting.

 With respect to the six priority areas, we note the following

Political Dialogue:CMAG’s last meeting in April, the United Nations advisor Mr Tamrat Samuel was appointed at the invitation of the government to revive all-party talks.

The government’s lack of commitment and sincerity to the talks has been evident right from the start. President Yameen’s administration refuses to comply with the demand of opposition parties to release jailed political leaders as a way to demonstrate its good will.TheYameen's government has branded the Maldivian United Opposition as unlawful, claiming the coalition has no legal status, as it is not registered as a political party.

On 27 August, 2016, the parliament passed an amendment to the Political Parties Act of

2013 mandating re-registration of all members of political parties using forms requiring fingerprints.The amendment applies retroactively which means parties established before this requirement was first introduced in 2010 will have to submit fingerprints of all members, or face de-registration.These actions not only signal the government’s unwillingness to initiate.political dialogue, but also indicate that the government is taking steps to actively impede and obstruct any kind of political dialogue.

Release of political prisoners: No steps have been taken to enable release of jailed political leaders. The country’s Supreme Court has upheld sentences of several political leaders without responding to arguments and concerns regarding fair trial and due process of law raised by several international bodies including the Commonwealth.

President Nasheed’s conviction wasupheld by the Court on the grounds that his legal rights were protected at the lower courts, he was provided adequate time to prepare his defence, and had been given access to a lawyer. 12 This is in sharp contrast to the observations of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that ruled Nasheed’s imprisonment to be “politically motivated” and “arbitrary” .President Yameen pardoned 169 offenders serving criminal offences under Section 29 of the Clemency Act.

Abuse of Anti-Terrorism Act and other Legislations: In brazen disregard to its commitment to the CMAG, the government of the Maldives continues to persecute political leaders and public officials. Ahmed Mahloof, the only independent member of parliament, was convicted on two consecutive charges of obstruction of duty and sentenced to 10 months and 24 days in jail.Vice President Ahmed Adeeb was convicted on two counts of terrorism with a cumulative sentence of up to 25 years. Both these cases only confirm the pattern whereby political leaders who are either critical or opposed to the current administration are being targeted and reveal the politicized nature of the justice system in the Maldives.

Separation of powers and independence of judiciary:  judicial independence continue in the Maldives, particularly to curtail powers of the independent Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a constitutional body.Apex court is using its control over lower courts not to ensure adherence to standards of fair trial and protection of constitutional rights, but to influence the administration of justice in the interest of the government.On 15 February 2016, the chief judge of the Criminal Court, Judge Abdullah, was transferred to the Family Court following his refusal to order former Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin’s detention.

He was replaced instead by Judge Abdul Bari Yoosuf, a highly controversial judge now under fire for his conduct in the trials and sentencing of leading opposition leaders.

Freedom and space for civil society: The Maldives continues to curtail fundamental freedoms through regressive legislative measures and numerous incidents of harassment and violence against journalists.Maldives passed the Protection of Reputation and Good Name and Freedom of Expression Act, popularly known as the Defamation Act, on 10 August 2016.

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Al Jazeera unveils the secret of Pres.Yameen's wealth in Stealing Paradise!

On 7^th September 2016, we all were glued to Al Jazeera news . Its twitter updates were being followed sincerely and everyone was waiting for 'Stealing Paradise', a documentary by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit. It showed that how the Maldives government "controls all the levels of state" and often uses them for nefarious purposes. Below are some highlights of the documentary.

• President's ministers and aides had plotted to launder up to $1.5bn through the South Asian nation's central bank, with the help of secretive businessmen from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. They planned to fly in cash at up to $100m at a time, pass it through the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) and transfer it back out.

•  President Yameen, through his former deputy had siphoned off millions in state funds, hijacked state institutions and bribed state officials including judges, lawyers and parliamentarians to exert his authoritarian power over the whole country.

• Mohamed ‘Moho’ Latheef who ran the front company through which nearly USD80 million was siphoned off told Al Jazeera that president Yameen was aware of the whole scheme.“President Yameen will know me personally. I was there and I was managing some of their funds,” Latheef, who is among the eight suspects wanted in connection to the blast aboard the presidential speedboat last year. The whole system is corrupted," says Moho of the Maldives under President Yameen. "Since he came to power, he has been bribing the MPs, the judges, lawyers and everyone else.

• "Mohamed "Oittey" Hussain was Vice President Adeeb's driver. Older than the other "bros", he explains how Adeeb was his "childhood friend" from school and how they played football and later studied together in Sri Lanka.When he was tourism minister, Adeeb's official driver was unreliable, so he ended up asking Oittey to drive and deliver bags of cash as well."I have given money to the president," he added calmly.

• Sources and text message conversations reveal the Maldives judiciary is far from independent. Senior judges have received money and luxury flats and meet regularly with the president and his deputy, who meddle in high-profile cases and judicial appointments.

•  In one text message, the former prosecutor-general declares absolute loyalty to Vice President Ahmed Adeeb. The text messages show the president and his deputy spent six months working to save Judge Hameed from being debarred after he was embroiled in a sex scandal.

After the release of this documentary The police have raided the Maldives Independent office in Malé with a court warrant over an alleged coup plot. This could be the result of documentary 'Stealing Paradise', as it features an interview with Zaheena Rasheed, the editor of this publication, along with leading figures from the opposition and former members of watchdog bodies. The documentary has brought Pres.Yameen's real face as a corrupt and dictator in front of the world. Now we have to see that how will the president cope up with his drowning image as a President. Though one thing is for sure that Pres. Yameen or PPM is not coming back in 2018!

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Deported for ‘practising journalism’

 

Elwira Szczecian doesn’t remember a single summer in the last ten years that hasn’t included a trip to the Maldives. Her visits often last for up to 40 days and involve a usual mix of diving, sunbathing and photography.

This year, the Polish photographer and her businessman husband returned to their home in Rome after spending only a week in the tropics. There won’t be another trip for the next ten years – that’s the duration for which the Maldives immigration department has handed the couple a travel ban last week.

“It happened very quickly,” she says on July 31, a day after she landed in Italy. “I was in the capital city of Malé. We were standing next to the crowd [of anti-government protestors] and taking photos. That’s when the police came and arrested us.”

 The news of her arrest spread quickly on Twitter, helped by the presence of local media and bystanders who filmed the police escorting her away from the venue. The police later accused Elwira, who has occasionally worked as a photojournalist, of “practising journalism” after entering the Maldives on a tourist visa.

 But for a country that has over a million visitors from across the world every year, it’s not unusual for journalists to use the ‘visa on arrival’ facility for tourists to expedite their reportage. Although Elwira denies the charge vehemently, for observers, her detention was yet another sign of the government’s ongoing efforts to silence its dissenters.

 Before her visit this year, Elwira was aware that the country’s political climate was far from amicable. In the past year, three media outlets – news websites CNM and Addu Live, and Haveeru, the oldest newspaper in the country – were forced to shut down after a series of reportage unfavourable of the government. The past week saw at least two opposition-aligned politicians being summoned for tweeting criticism of the establishment.

 Since the last week of July, the opposition, led by the exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed, has been holding anti-government protest rallies every night. On the evening of July 28, it was one such protest that the couple stumbled on as they travelled to the capital city.

 At the police station, the two were questioned for their links to the opposition parties and the ongoing protests. Despite repeated requests, they weren’t allowed to contact a lawyer or the Polish and Italian embassies.

  After several rounds of interrogation, the two were taken to a detention centre where they were photographed, strip-searched and had their belongings taken away. 

  The next day, the police presented the couple to the criminal court and argued to extend the period of arrest. “We argued that the couple were visiting on a holiday and were staying at a resort.

 On returning to the police headquarters to collect their belongings, they were told that the immigration department has instructed them to leave the country.

 In November 2015, four journalists from German public broadcaster ARD were deported citing ‘improper permits’. 

 Elwira is yet to come to terms with being banned from her summer getaway. “In all these years, we never saw a situation so restrictive that you cannot take a photo on the street,” she says. And even if she were there as a journalist, she quips.

source-  http://maldivesindependent.com/politics/deported-for-practising-journalism-125938

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Yameen and the case of a Shattered Government!

Maldives can no longer be considered as an independent nation. The Yameen government has  totally become submissive to Saudi Royal Family & Chinese! Yameen is facing international and domestic pressure over human rights abuses and allegations of corruption.

The ‘Defamation and Freedom of Expression Act’ despite being labeled by journalists as the death of free media in the island nation was accepted with 38 MPs voting in favor on Monday.Two MPs including party leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s son Faaris Maumoon voted against the bill while several MPs were absent from the sitting or had walked out just before the vote.

Several pro-government lawmakers broke the three line whip during the parliament vote on the controversial defamation bill suggesting a deep division within the ruling coalition over the move to criminalize defamation. Government-sponsored bill criminalizing defamation has drawn fierce criticism from the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Amnesty International called on the government to scrap plans to enact the law, which it said would have “a stifling effect on the right to freedom of expression.

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had earlier urged his party leaders to vote down the bill. Foreign minister  Dunya Maumoon had also resigned citing the difference of opinions in Governance.

Home Minister Umar Naseer had also resigned moments after lawyers representing a former def. minister, sentenced on weapons smuggling charges. In his statement Umar Naseer said that he had disagreements on many occasions. That Pres. Yameen is a man of conviction. He will not consult. He will not talk to other cabinet colleagues and discuss and bring solutions together. He will make decisions on his own. 

 Proving all such articulations right, President Yameen has reshuffled his cabinet again and replaced Home Minister Ahmed Zuhoor with former Deputy Minister of Education, Azleen Ahmed. The reasons for the sudden change remains unclear.

People who were once Pres.Yameen's allies are rapidly opposing his decisions and questioning on his capabilities as a President. Yameen is an absolute dictator and a total authoritarian. He does things as he wish does not care about citizens of Maldives.

The political situation in Maldives is shifting rapidly and the sudden decisions being taken by the President shows that he is not able to handle the situation. The coming days seems to bring some unexpected changes in the political crisis of Maldives!

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Mayday Should be back!

Maldives has always been a brave country. Though we are small in size but our courage is bigger than our hearts. Alas! Even then we were ruled by our own people consecutively for 30 years. At present too we are being ruled by a dictator and it is high time to fight against him!

I still have a yellow flag clubbed with our national flag kept in my room. Whenever I look at it, a feeling of enthusiasm emerges inside me and reminds me of 1 May 2015. I go back in time and find myself on the streets of Male, raising my voice to Free Anni and Save Maldives! Even being a girl didn't stop me from stepping out and shout in the protest. We all were hopeful. Sheikh Imran's speech filled me with hope and spirit. The country then marched together as one for just one thing, “Free President Nasheed” Yes, the dictator got scared and ordered his puppets to crackdown the march but our resolution is still intact.

On 1st May 2016, it will be an year since #EkehFaheh15 and after knowing about so many corruptions including his black magic tricks, I think there should be another large Protest. Bigger than EkehFaheh 15 .

This time we all know the tyranny's tactics and we are more stronger. Everyone has seen how pres. Yameen is shallowing Maldives. How he is just collecting money in his coffers and is letting everyone die while paying rent. We all have to unite for stopping this man and his family from bankrupting all of us. We all have to stand together to save our future !! Another MayDay protest or a bigger one then that  has to be done.

We have to show Yameen that Maldives is still brave enough to fight and win its democracy back!! 

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Silence Of The Maldivians!

Remember, when people meet and the joy it brings us with happiness wrapped like a smile. If the meeting is outside then even the bill is split equally and everyone takes home their share of memories. Oh! The happy times but Alas! We aren't talking about any of this stuff in Maldives. Here 'Jalsa' means mostly a meeting called by a political party and the word 'Bill' brings with it the fear of another law being framed to trap Maldivians.

Now a days , musical evenings are organized with free coffee, posters informing people about the next Jalsas are actively shared on social media and our Govt. is rapidly introducing life threatening bills like the criminalization of defamation in the Majlis. At present there are two groups in Maldives, 1. who don't want anyone's voice to be heard and 2. who despite of all odds, want their cries for freedom to echo in the world. Though, there is a third group too, they are the numb ones, these people are still trying to neglect the ongoing crisis in the country and refuse to take a decision by taking a stand. These people have closed their eyes and are thinking that somehow all these bills,scams,rallies, Jalsas will not effect their cocoon of dreams. But they are wrong! Because they are the ones who are both the suppressed and the suppressor. By remaining silent after watching the atrocities of this foolish government, the numb ones are taking the dictators side and by not fighting for their rights , they are also being victimized by the greedy ministers in the name of law and welfare.

What do these people think,  Have they thought , why are their so less hospitals,schools,jobs or lets say who will be paying all the loans taken by Pres.Yameen in the name of Mosques, Hospitals,Runway,Bridge etc. Who do they think will protect them when gangs will roam freely on the streets of Maldives. (Do they still expect police to do so) Who will be providing them clean drinking water or will pay their rents ? Will the Government do that? Don't they want to know about the money that has been given as bribes to the Ministers or how did Pres. Yameen acquire so much funds to organize his presidential campaigns at such a large scale? Who gave him all that money and why?no future in Maldives? That why there are no prominent opportunities other than for tourism in Maldives?

Today, I won't answer these questions as I want each reader to answer it for themselves. As present is when no Maldivian can ignore this situation , when everyone needs to take a stand . No matter what it is but there has to be a black and white in Maldives.

So either go to a jalsa or read about the latest bill introduced in Majlis but decide and support whatever you think is right according to YOU!!!

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When Dictatorship Couped DEMOCRACY!!!

Looking at my news-feed on Twitter today , I felt disgusted. There were stories about an innocent man abused in a Mosque, more leaders being arrested for stupid reasons, mysterious murders and the same old corruption games by our President. The annoyance of not being able to change things took a toll on me. Being a self acclaimed social media warrior , its the first time I felt that its not fruitful. Yes, it helps us in reaching out to people but if it doesn't change something on the ground then its useless.

At present our country is in a political made disaster . We all are screaming hard but not loud enough. They are just a handful greedy people due to which we all are suffering. My question is that after so many disclosures of corruption, murders etc, Why are we still comparatively calm?

I remember when PPM sponsored a coup against Mohamed Nasheed . How these PPM goons came so aggressively on streets. How they raised their voice against democracy. The memories are fresh, when dictatorship couped democracy. It was a black day for Maldives which followed only darker days afterwards.

According to me, we all should learn from them. Their compassion for destroying our country should be our passion to save Maldives from these beasts now.

Until and unless, we won't forget about our personal problems and fight for Maldives, we won't be able to live freely. This country is not PPM's estate where they could do anything according to their wish. But unfortunately, our president Yameen is doing exactly the same. So, the decision is yours now whether you want to continue complaining or to be the change that will save Maldives!!!

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