2018 Maldives political crisis

Last updated

A political crisis in the Maldives intensified on after President Abdulla Yameen decided to disobey the Supreme Court order to release 9 political prisoners and reinstating 12 parliament members which will give the opposition (MDP) control of the chamber and potentially paving the way for Yameen's impeachment. [1]

Contents

On 5 February 2018 president Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency and ordered the arrest of two judges of the Supreme Court of the Maldives, including Chief Justice of the Maldives Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed Mohamed and former President (also his half-brother) Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. [1]

Events

February 1, 2018

After a few hours after the Supreme Court released the court order on its website. The state-owned TV channel Television Maldives and Channel 13 owned by president Abdulla Yameen went to discredit the order by saying the Supreme Court website was hacked. The Supreme Court immediately responded by tweeting the website is not hacked. [2]

Maldivian Democratic Party was already holding a small peaceful gathering in front of their campaign headquarters who heard the news and many broke into tears including some Parliament members. They announced a gathering to be held on February 2, 2018, that night at 2:00 a.m.

Cabinet ministers question authenticity of the court order and said that they have not been able to be in contact with the Supreme Court and they are trying to get direct communication with the justices. [3]

President Abdulla Yameen fired the Commissioner of Police Ahmed Areef and replaced by Ahmed Saudhee, claiming that Areef was not attending his phone calls. Ahmed Saudhee also fired back by saying that he was trying to follow the court orders and president Yameen did not allow him to do his job. [4]

The opposition held a peaceful rally 2 a.m midnight to celebrate the court ruling.[ clarification needed ] Maldives Police Service an hour after the rally started used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd and leaving many affected.

February 3, 2018

The opening of People's Majlis was cancelled for security reasons and was being rescheduled as soon as it was possible. [5]

President Abdulla Yameen fires Acting-Commissioner of Police Ahmed Saudhee, and gave no clear reason why he fired Saudhee. President's Office's staff released a small statement only saying: [6]

“By the power bestowed upon the President under Article 54 (b) of the Police Act (Act No: 5/2008), President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has today dismissed Ahmed Saudhee from the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police,”

President Abdulla Yameen hold a rally and officially announce his re-election and say he was not expecting the Supreme Court ruling, the state and all relevant authorities have to do a lot of work to see how to implement it. [7]

Special Operations Police were posted outside the Chief Justice, Abdulla Saeed's house. Upon hearing rumours he was about to be arrested the public gathered and had clashes with Special Operations Police the people who gathered were backed off successfully and Special Operations Police Maldives Police Service released the statement they were not going to be arresting Justice Abdulla Saeed. [8]

February 4, 2018

Attorney General alongside acting-police commissioner Abdulla Nawaz and Chief of Defence Force Ahmed Shiyam holds press conference saying they will not obey any order to impeach President Abdulla Yameen. [9]

Secretary General of the Parliament Ahmed Mohamed resigns citing “personal reasons.” [10]

Opposition lawmakers submit no-confidence motion against Prosecutor General, Aishath Bisham, Attorney General, Mohamed Anil, Home Minister, Azleen Ahmed, and Defence Minister, Adam Shareef for their refusal to comply with the Supreme Court order. [11]

February 5, 2018

Criminal Court orders the immediate release of Faris Maumoon from detention. [12]

President Abdulla Yameen declares a state of emergency for 15 days, suspension of 20 constitutional rights, and the Criminal Procedures Act and parts of the Judges Act. [1] [13]

Maldivian military forces gather around the Supreme Court and try to break into the court by forcing the gate open. [14]

Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his son-in-law Mohamed Nadheem got arrest on charges of trying to overthrow the government

February 6, 2018

After multiple attempts to break into the Supreme Court special operations climbed up the roof of the High Court (same building) and broke the windows of the Supreme Court and forced Justice Ali Hameed and dragged Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed on the floor out of the Supreme Court. [15]

Former president Mohamed Nasheed requests India's intervention. [16]

State of emergency amended to suspend more legal rights, including the right to remain silent and be brought before a judge within 24 hours. [17]

Ibrahim Siyad Qasim, son of opposition leader Qasim Ibrahim arrested. [18]

Response

Former President Mohamed Nasheed, currently in exile in the UK, called for India to send a military-backed diplomatic mission to compel the release of political detainees, and for the US and UK to freeze the financial transaction of Maldivian government officials. The Indian government stated that they regard the situation as "disturbing". [19] The Times of India reported that the Indian Armed Forces were on standby for "deployment at short notice" on potential operations in Maldives, ranging from the evacuation of nationals to a military intervention akin to that in the 1988 Operation Cactus. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maumoon Abdul Gayoom</span> President of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is a Maldivian politician who served as President of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as transport minister, he was nominated president by the People's Majlis and succeeded Ibrahim Nasir in 1978. He was defeated in 2008 during the first Presidential Elections after democratic reforms in the Maldives. He holds the nations highest award, "The Most Honourable Order of Distinguished Rule of Ghaazee", presented to him in 2013. Maumoon was the longest-serving president in Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maldivian Democratic Party</span> Political party in the Maldives

The Maldivian Democratic Party is the first political party formed in the Republic of Maldives with a total membership of 51,516 individuals as of 25 April 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohamed Nasheed</span> President of the Maldives from 2008 to 2012

Mohamed Nasheed GCSK, also known as Anni, is a Maldivian politician and activist who served as president of the Maldives from 2008 until his resignation in 2012. A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, he subsequently served as the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis from May 2019 until his resignation in November 2023. He is the first democratically elected president of the Maldives and the only president to resign from office. He is currently a member of The Democrats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Television Maldives</span> Television channel

Television Maldives is the public service broadcasting TV channel of the Maldives. It was formed on March 29, 1978.

New Maldives began as a group of young ministers who supported the dictatorship of President Gayoom and claimed to be working to usher in liberal democracy to the Maldives. Its most public proponent is Ahmed Shaheed, supported by Hassan Saeed and Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, who were serving as Foreign Minister, Attorney-General and Justice Minister, respectively. The New Maldives was launched in December 2005 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and was initially used by the media as a pejorative term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of the Maldives</span> Senior level of the executive branch of the Government of the Maldives

The Cabinet of the Maldives is the most senior level of the executive branch of the Government of the Maldives. It is made up of the President, the Vice President, Attorney General and the Ministers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Progressive Party of Maldives</span> Nationalist and conservative political party in the Maldives

The Progressive Party of Maldives, is a political party in the Maldives with a total membership of 35,044 as of 25 April 2024. The stated goal of the party is driving Maldives towards an independent and democratic, safe and secure, high income, high human capital, developed nation state with a diversified and robust economy whilst preserving its Islamic heritage.

Presidential elections were held in the Maldives on 7, 9 and 16 November 2013. The first round was held on 7 September. As no candidate received a majority, a second round was planned to be held in 28 September between the candidates who received the most votes in the first round, former President Mohamed Nasheed and Abdulla Yameen, paternal half-brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Incumbent President Mohammed Waheed Hassan was eliminated in the first round after receiving less votes than three other candidates.

The 2011–2013 Maldives political crisis began as a series of peaceful protests that broke out in the Maldives on 1 May 2011. They would continue, eventually escalating into the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed in disputed circumstances in February 2012. Demonstrators were protesting what they considered the government's mismanagement of the economy and were calling for the ouster of President Nasheed. The main political opposition party in the country, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party led by the former president of the country Maumoon Abdul Gayoom accused President Nasheed of "talking about democracy but not putting it into practice." The protests occurred during the Arab Spring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Husnu Al Suood</span>

Husnu Al Suood born in Meedhoo is a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Maldives since 8 December 2019. He was the Attorney General of the Maldives from June 2009 to August 2010. He served as the Chief Judge of the Civil Court and as a member of the Judicial Service Commission of Maldives. He also served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission of the Maldives from 2003 to 2005. As a member of the Special Majlis Suood participated in drafting the current constitution of the Republic of Maldives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maldives Reform Movement</span> Political party in the Maldives

The Maldives Reform Movement is a political party in the Maldives officially founded on 20 November 2019. The Elections Commission authorized the formation on 2 October 2019. The party was conceived by founder of MRM Yumna Maumoon's father and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom after disagreements with Abdulla Yameen about the direction of the Progressive Party of Maldives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdulla Yameen</span> President of the Maldives from 2013 to 2018

Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 2013 to 2018.

Presidential elections were held in the Maldives on Sunday, 23 September 2018. Incumbent president Abdulla Yameen of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) was seeking re-election for a second five-year term. His only challenger was Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who was nominated as the joint candidate of a coalition of opposition parties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ibrahim Mohamed Solih</span> President of the Maldives from 2018 to 2023

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, commonly known as Ibu, is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 2018 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmed Abdulla Didi</span> Maldivian politician (born 1966)

Dr. Ahmed Abdulla Didi is the 4th Chief Justice of the Maldives, served from June 28, 2018, till December 8, 2019.

Sharif Mohamed is a Maldivian politician and entrepreneur who served as a Media Coordinator at The President's Office of the Maldives in 2015. Prior to his appointment on 7 July 2015, he served in executive committees of non-governmental organizations and as a youth wing council member of the Jumhooree Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Maldivian presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in the Maldives on Saturday, 9 September 2023, with a second round held on 30 September. Incumbent president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was seeking re-election, after defeating the-then Speaker of the People's Majlis Mohamed Nasheed in the Maldivian Democratic Party primaries. People's National Congress candidate and Malé mayor Mohamed Muizzu won the election with 54% of the votes, defeating Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and becoming President-elect of the Maldives. It was the fourth consecutive election in which a Maldivian president failed to win reelection, the last to do so having been Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ran unopposed, in 2003.

Azmiralda Zahir is a Maldivian lawyer and jurist who has served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Maldives since 4 September 2019. After studying law in the United Kingdom, Zahir began practicing law in the Maldives in 1999. In 2011, she was appointed to the High Court of the Maldives, and at the time of her resignation in 2016 was described as the country's most senior female judge. Zahir also served as the Maldives' first female Chief Justice when she temporarily filled the vacancy caused by the retirement of Abdulla Areef in November 2019.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Live blog: Maldives State of Emergency". Maldives Independent. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  2. ↑ Maldives Judiciary [@judiciarymv] (February 1, 2018). "The Supreme Court's website is not hacked & the Court's Order No: (2018/SC-SJ/01) has been circulated to the concerned authorities" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ↑ Anees, Shan (2 February 2018). "Supreme Court ruling's 'validity' yet to be decided, says government". RaajjeMV. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  4. ↑ Anees, Shan (2 February 2018). "Commissioner Areef claims he was dismissed for enforcing Supreme Court ruling". RaajjeMV. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  5. ↑ "Maldives parliament opening cancelled for security reasons". Maldives Independent. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "Maldives acting police chief fired". Maldives Independent. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "President breaks silence over Supreme Court ruling". Maldives Independent. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  8. ↑ "Maldives crisis: Massive protests outside Chief Justice's house". Yahoo! News . 3 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  9. ↑ "Government squares up to Supreme Court over presidential impeachment 'threat'". Maldives Independent. 4 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  10. ↑ Mohamed, Visham (4 February 2018). "Parliament secretary general resigns amid standoff". Avas. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  11. ↑ Shaahunaz, Fathmath (4 February 2018). "Opposition files censure motions against AG, PG, ministers". The Edition . Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Family matters in the Maldives: Faris Maumoon". Maldives Independent. 28 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "President declares State of Emergency". The President's Office . 5 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "Chief Justice Abdullah Saeed and Judge Ali Hameed arrested | Maldives Times". maldivestimes.com.
  15. ↑ Ali, Humaam (6 February 2018). "Chief Justice Saeed, Justice Hameed arrested". RaajjeMV. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  16. ↑ "Maldives' ex-president Nasheed urges India to intervene to resolve crisis". Reuters . 6 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  17. ↑ "President amends the decree issued on State of Emergency". The President's Office . 6 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  18. ↑ Shaany, Aishath (13 April 2018). "First hearing in bribery case against Siyad Qasim set for Sunday". RaajjeMV. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  19. ↑ "Nasheed urges India to intervene to end Maldives crisis". Al Jazeera . 6 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  20. ↑ "Maldives crisis: Indian military kept on standby". The Times of India . TNN. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.