Police ordered to produce Nasheed in court on Wednesday

Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court has issued an order upon the police to keep former President Mohamed Nasheed in custody in order to produce him in court on Wednesday, for the trial against him regarding the ‘enforced disappearance’ of Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdullah Mohamed.

Member of Nasheed’s legal team Hisaan Hussain told Sun Online tonight that she is informed that a hearing of the trial against Nasheed has been scheduled for 4:00 pm on Wednesday and also that the police have been ordered to arrest him in order to produce him in court for the hearing. She said that this has not yet been officially informed.

A senior government official told Sun Online tonight that the government is informed that an order has been issued to produce Nasheed in court on Wednesday. The official said that all groups should cooperate with taking Nasheed to court this time, and expressed confidence that the Indian High Commission would cooperate in these efforts as well. He said that otherwise, the High Commission would have to take a different position.

He said that Nasheed remained inside the High Commission but he had not been assured any protection, and that he believed that this means that the Indian High Commission would cooperate in these efforts.

The police were unable to implement the previous order by the court to arrest Nasheed to produce him in court last Wednesday, due to Nasheed taking refuge in the Indian High Commission.

Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Samad Abdullah told Sun Online last Thursday that if the court issued another order to arrest Nasheed, permission will be requested from the Indian High Commission to enter their premises.

Dr Samad said on Thursday that Nasheed was not a ‘big criminal’, and that India had not been requested to facilitate his arrest. He said however, that if something similar happened again, discussions would be held with India and a request would be made for permission to enter the Indian High Commission.

“Because things weren’t done by then [4:00 pm yesterday] there was no arrest warrant after that. If something similar happens again, if assistance is requested, we would [hold discussions],” he said.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has been protesting since Wednesday night against the trial against Nasheed for the alleged unconstitutional arrest of Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdullah Mohamed. MDP has called to withdraw the charges against Nasheed.