Maldives MP seeks Modi help for Nasheed release

Amnesty says India must intervene

April 24, 2015 11:11 am | Updated November 17, 2021 10:55 am IST - NEW DELHI

In this March 15, 2015 photo, Maldives’ former President Mohamed Nasheed waves sitting in a boat as he is taken back to Dhoonidhoo prison after a court dismissed his appeal against his arrest, in Male.

In this March 15, 2015 photo, Maldives’ former President Mohamed Nasheed waves sitting in a boat as he is taken back to Dhoonidhoo prison after a court dismissed his appeal against his arrest, in Male.

Maldivian Member of Parliament Eva Abdulla has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking India’s help in securing the release of former President Mohammed Nasheed who has been sentenced on terrorism charges to 13 years in prison.

In a letter to Mr. Modi, Ms. Abdulla, a member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, has said her country is failing to abide by its domestic and international commitments on human rights and rule of law. Seeking Indian help she has written: “India has the power to make a difference in the Maldives. India’s role was integral to our reform movement, which culminated in our first rights-based constitution and our first democratic election…So we ask India to help again. I believe it is in India’s interest to see Maldives return to the democratic path. We cannot afford another failed Muslim democracy, nor a front of instability in the Indian Ocean.”

India’s intervention has also been sought by Amnesty International, which released a fact finding report here on Thursday on the human rights violations in Maldives and the clamp down on peaceful protests. Based on its fact finding carried out in the island nation between April 17 and 22, Amnesty claims human rights situation in the Maldives is deteriorating alarmingly and India as a large, thriving democracy with prominent role to play in the region should intervene.

Releasing the report, Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Maldives researcher said while the principles of a fair trial were not followed in the case of Mr. Nasheed, former Defence Minister Mohammed Nazim and MP Ahmed Nazim, as many as 140 “peaceful protesters” who were arrested since February have been released on conditions that severely limited their rights to take part in further demonstrations.

“The judiciary did not allow Mr. Nasheed and the others access to legal counsel for the first hearing; the authorities are stopping the right to freedom of assembly, which is an accepted international human rights law. Civil society is resisting these impositions, but it is powerless,” Mr. Faiz said. Referring to the role of the judiciary he said, in all these three cases the right to a fair trial has been seriously undermined, “Mohamed Nasheed’s imprisonment came after a sham trial, but he is far from the only one locked up on trumped-up charges and after unfair trials. It is disturbing how far the Maldives government has co-opted the judiciary as a tool to cement its own hold on power,” said Mr. Faiz.

The Amnesty delegation, was now allowed to meet Mr. Nasheed or government officials during this visit; though the authorities have agreed to allow a meeting in May.

“There’s a climate of fear spreading in the Maldives, as safeguards on human rights are increasingly eroded. The authorities have a growing track record of silencing critical voices by any means necessary — be it through the police, the judicial system, or outright threats and harassment,” said Mr. Faiz.

Reaching out to the international community to step-in, Raghu Menon, Amnesty International India’s advocacy coordinator, who was part of the fact finding mission said: “Media freedom too has been hit hard…as an influential neighbour and an important regional power India has a responsibility to work towards a human rights-friendly environment in the Maldives.”

The fact finding team also flagged the issue of threats and attacks against independent media critical of the government and claimed several journalists told Amnesty International they have received death threats through texts or phone calls, but police have refused to follow up and investigate these threats meaningfully.

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