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Tuesday 13 May 2025
LOCAL EDITION
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LOCAL EDITION
MDP members protest decision by the Judiciary Committee to hold a closed-door meeting on May 11, 2025.
Members of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) walked out of the meeting room of the Judiciary Committee on Sunday afternoon, after the committee decided to hold its discussions regarding Judicial Service Commission (JSC)’s controversial recommendation to dismiss Supreme Court justices Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir behind closed doors instead of allowing the press access to the meeting.
On February 26, Azmiralda, Mahaz and then-Supreme Court justice Husnu Al-Suood were suspended by the JSC, citing an ongoing investigation by the against them by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). All three were hearing a case challenging the controversial move by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) – who hold a supermajority in the Parliament - to write anti-defection clauses into the Maldivian constitution.
Suood resigned from the top court in protest of JSC’s decision, and the commission later opened misconduct cases against Azmiralda and Mahaz, accusing them of conspiring to influence the Criminal Court.
On May 4, the JSC asked the Parliament to approve their dismissal. The Judiciary Committee, which is reviewing the recommendation, decided on Saturday to deny Azmiralda and Mahaz the chance to defend themselves against the allegations against them.
They both claim that the allegations against them are baseless and that the investigations by the JSC were tainted by the denial of due process to them.
On Sunday afternoon, Hulhudhoo MP Mohamed Shahid proposed barring the press from the meeting as they discuss JSC’s recommendation. The motion was supported by the rest of the PNC members who sit in the committee. It passed with a majority vote of 6-2.
Those who voted to hold a closed-door meeting are:
They took the vote amid protest from the two MDP members in the committee; South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil and Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir.
Shahid claimed he wished to hold a closed-door meeting because the subject under discussion involved personal matters regarding the justices.
“As this involved the personal interest of some individuals, I propose holding a closed meeting instead of opening it to the press,” he said.
Nazil and Mauroof protested against the move.
“We are leaving. We are not going to be here if this is going to be a secret meeting. You guys [PNC members] talk whatever you want in secrecy,” said Nazil, as he left the meeting room.
“There. We have said this on live TV,” said Mauroof, as he joined Nazil in boycotting the meeting.
The JSC has come under fire from both local and international legal experts over its decision to push for the dismissal of the Supreme Court justices.
Suood, Azmiralda and Mahaz' suspension by the JSC on February 26 had come less than one hour ahead of a hearing scheduled at the Supreme Court regarding a request for an injunction to suspend the enforcement of controversial anti-defection clauses that were written into the Constitution last year. It also came shortly after the ruling PNC used its supermajority in the Parliament to push through amendments to the Judicature Act to downsize the Supreme Court bench from seven to five justices.
Meanwhile, the ACC has declined to provide any information regarding the their criminal investigation against the trio, which had triggered their suspension in the first place.
