The arrest of Judge Abdulla:
Five lawyers request Chief Justice to act against illegal activities

A letter endorsed by five lawyers has been sent to Chief Justice Al-Ustaz Ahmed Faaiz Hussein, requesting for an immediate stop to the current illegal activities in the society.

The letter addressed to Chief Justice and signed by Lawyers Hassan Fiyaz, Ismael Visham, Mohamed Fareed, Anas Abdul Sattar and Ali Hussein, says that if a citizen or a Judge is suspected of a constitutional crime, the responsible authorities must take the necessary steps against it. It is the responsibility of the Judicial Services Commission to take lawful steps against the actions of a Judge who was carrying out his responsibilities in his capacity as a Judge. The letter also says that decisions made by Judges should not be directly influenced by the government or any other group.

In addition, the letter says that the Constitution explicitly states how the actions of a Judge should be dealt with. The Constitution assigns tasks to different institutions in order to shape the system in a particular manner, and that these systems can only function well if the people in authority are respectful of them.

The letter further requests the Chief Justice to guarantee Maldivian citizens that the legal system of the country will not lose its authority as a result of the current events. It also calls for the immediate stop to the illegal arrests of Judges and to commence investigations into these matters. They also request the Chief Justice to order PG to file a case against the people responsible for these activities.

“We do not doubt that you are aware of the current events, which weaken the legal system established in 2008 by the hard work of the Maldivian people. Surely government systems are established to facilitate justice and fairness, instead of manipulation and authority by those in power.”