Areef, Sinan, Nadheem and Ilhaam freed

Son-in-law of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – Mohamed Nadheem, North Machangolhi MP Abdulla Sinan, former Commissioner of Police Ahmed Areef and Dhangethi MP Ilham Ahmed who were arrested during the period following the controversial Supreme Court order on February 1 have been released from detention by the Criminal Court.

The four individuals had been ordered to jail pending the outcome of their terrorism trials but were released by the Criminal Court last Monday night without a hearing.

Attorneys of Nadheem, Sinan, Areef and Ilhaam had petitioned with the Criminal Court to review their detention, upon which the court sent a letter to the Prosecutor General’s Office asking for its input. The PG Office replied that they were ordered to detention due to risk they may influence witnesses and destroy evidence, but that the circumstance no longer exists.

Presiding Judge Ahmed Hailam ordered their release without a hearing, and the judge’s decision was clarified to Nadheem, Sinan, Areef and Ilhaam by the Registrar of Criminal Court.

Former President Maumoon, former Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, former Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed, former Judicial Administrator Hassan Saeed, MP Abdulla Riyaz, and MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon were also summoned to the court last Monday night.

However, the judge did not review the detention of Maumoon, Faris, Abdulla Saeed, Ali Hameed and Hassan Saeed. The media official at the court said their detentions weren’t reviewed as there hadn’t been enough time, and because the review of their detention would be of no consequence as they were all serving prison sentences.

Meanwhile, MP Abdulla Riyaz was freed after being kept detained even after the completion of his sentence.