United Opposition calls for Nihan’s release

United Opposition has called for the release of A. A. Maamigili Chief Magistrate, Ahmed Nihan, who was sentenced 17 years in prison on Friday, calling the charges against him and the entire trial – unjust.

United Opposition said in their statement on Saturday that the charges against Nihan and the entire trial was conducted in violation of Islamic sharia, Maldivian Constitution and international standards.

Nihan was sentenced to jail by Criminal Court found him guilty of creating a bogus arrest warrant for President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s arrest.

United Opposition said that no evidence was presented to court to prove that Nihan had created a bogus arrest warrant for President’s arrest, that a proper investigation had not been carried out, that it was not an open trial as is prescribed in Maldivian constitution, that the panel of judges was changed midway through trial and that Nihan’s sentence was therefore unjust.

The opposition coalition called for Nihan’s immediate release.

They said that the only thing state witness testimony proved was that police asked for an arrest warrant for the President.