HRCM: DJA found no issues with UPR

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has said that a draft of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was sent to the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA), and that the DJA did not report any issues with regard to the review before it was submitted to the United Nations (UN) on 14 September.

HRCM said this at a hearing at the Supreme Court today, on a suo moto case initiated by the court against the commission members.

Lawyer representing HRCM Maumoon Hameed said that the commission sought comments from all stakeholders, before submitting the UPR to the UN Human Rights Council.

This includes sending a draft of the review to the DJA on 31 August and requesting comments; however, the DJA had not commented on the review by 14 September when the review was submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, said Maumoon.

DJA is operated under the Supreme Court.

At the hearing, details of the suo moto charges were explained by Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain.

The chief justice said that a suo moto case was initiated because the UPR included false information regarding the Supreme Court, and that the charges were filed under Article 141 of the Constitution, Article 9 of the Judicature Act, and Article 86 of the Supreme Court Regulation.

When allowed the chance to present their defence, Maumoon said that the members of the commission had requested the court in writing, to be given adequate chance to present their defence.

The chief judge responded by saying that this will be granted by the court, and allowed the members the chance to present anything they had prepared for today’s hearing.

Maumoon said that the UPR was prepared in accordance with the Constitution and laws, and that it was never the intention of the commission members to undermine the Constitution.

He added that the Attorney General’s Office, when the review was sent for comments, advised the commission to add more information to the review.

Chief Justice Faiz said that a date for the next hearing will be announced later, before concluding today’s hearing.