Azeez appointed Information Commissioner

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, on Sunday, appointed Abdul Azeez Jamal Abubakar as the Information Commissioner.

The appointment comes following parliamentary approval upon his nomination by the President.

Azeez, who previously served as a State Minister at the Ministry of Dhivehi Language, Culture and Heritage, was approved for the position after appearing before the Parliament’s Committee on Independent Institutions for an interview.

The Committee recommended his appointment after he received a score exceeding 75 percent. Subsequently, during the parliamentary sitting held on August 26th, 47 members voted in favor of his appointment, while 11 voted against it.

Azeez’s appointment comes as the five-year term of outgoing Information Commissioner Ahid Rasheed concludes on Sunday.

While several individuals had applied for the position when applications were opened, Azeez was the only candidate nominated by the President and submitted to the Parliament for approval.

In response to questions from members of the Committee on Independent Institutions, Azeez said the purpose of the Right to Information Act is to ensure citizens have access to information, adding that he intends to achieve this objective through diplomacy.

He further said he would engage with state institutions to facilitate the disclosure of information requested by members of the public, adding that formal public hearings would be pursued only as a last resort if the requested information remains inaccessible.

Azeez previously served as Information Commissioner from July 22, 2014, to July 22, 2019. He has also served as the parliamentarian for the Maavah constituency and has more than 22 years of experience in the education sector.

He received the National Award in 2020 in recognition of his contributions to Dhivehi language and literature.

However, organizations including Transparency Maldives, as well as members of the public, have raised concerns over his reappointment, citing that several cases submitted to the commission were dismissed during his previous tenure and that numerous hearings were conducted behind closed doors.