Three‑judge bench resumes hearings in Yameen Rasheed murder retrial, streamed live

The Criminal Court has resumed hearings in the retrial of the 2017 murder of blogger and activist Yameen Rasheed.

Six individuals were originally charged with stabbing Yameen to death in the stairwell of his home in April 2017. They are:  

• Ismail Haisham Rasheed (H. Annaarumaage, Male')  

• Ahmed Zihan Ismail (Lot 11399, Hulhumale')  

• Mohamed Dhifran (Sindbadge, G.Dh. Gaddhoo)  

• Hassan Shifaz (M. Kudhehige, Male')  

• Ismail Rasheed (M. Thaaif, Male')  

• Hussein Ziyad (East, M. Kolhufushi)

In January 2022, the Criminal Court convicted Haisham and Zihan and sentenced them to life imprisonment, while the remaining four were acquitted.

Both convicts appealed to the High Court, which overturned the verdict and ordered a retrial. On December 31, the High Court acquitted the pair. However, on the same day, the Prosecutor General’s Office requested the Criminal Court to rule on their remand status. The court subsequently ordered Haisham and Zihan to remain in custody pending trial.

A three‑judge bench resumed hearings on Monday. While most cases in the Criminal Court are heard by a single judge, certain cases are assigned to a bench. The panel comprises Judge Ibrahim Ihusaan, Judge Mohamed Misbah, and Judge Ali Nadheem.

The proceedings are being broadcast live online.

Investigations by the Police and the Death Commission previously concluded that Yameen was killed over religious disputes.

Civil society organisations have repeatedly raised concerns over the handling of the investigation and earlier trial phases, noting gaps in evidence submission, chain‑of‑custody issues, and the lack of public disclosure of the Death Commission’s full findings. They argue that these shortcomings have contributed to delays and eroded public confidence in the pursuit of justice in Yameen’s case.