Order to produce Home Minister to court, appealed

The Criminal Court order upon the Maldives Police Service to arrest and produce Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer to court has been appealed in High Court.

Criminal Court issued the order on Wednesday and it was appealed today, Sun Online has learnt.

Two hearings have been cancelled due to the defendant's failure to attend court. Umar Naseer has informed the court that he will not be able to attend hearings before 16 June. Home Ministry said the Minister is out of the country on official travels.

The former opposition leader is charged with disobeying State orders for calling for 2000 volunteers to follow his instructions and use 50, 12-foot ladders to storm the walls of the country’s main military headquarters during a protest near the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) building in Male' on 23 January 2012.