Court declines Imran’s defense witnesses for failure of early notification

High Court has decided not to accept the defence witnesses for the President of Adhaalath Party, Sheikh Imran Abdulla in the charge of terrorism pursued by the state.

The court made the decision because Sheikh Imran did not request to submit any defence witnesses at the court before.

Imran was charged with terrorism with State prosecutors alleging that Imran’s speech during protest on 1 May, 2015 had instigated violence.

At the latest hearing of the trial, the state presented the statement of an anonymous witness. The witness said that he visit different location on 1 May, the day of the protest to see it’s state. And he said that he was at the protest an independent citizen to observe.

The witness said that on the day of the protest, many political figures gave speeches at the rally near the Social Center including Sheikh Imran. The witness said that Imran did not call for violence directly but he believes the Sheikh’s words inspired to prompt violence.

Judge Abdul Baaree said that a person would be summoned at the next hearing in the trial but did not say who it was. The judge said that both the prosecution and the defence would be allowed questions to the man summoned by the court.