The People’s National Congress (Congress Party) of the Maldives has raised serious questions about the fairness of the judicial process that led to former President and then opposition leader Abdulla Yameen being sentenced to five years in prison. The party alleged that Yameen’s trial in a money laundering case was politically influenced and that the proceedings were used as an attempt to suppress opposition voices.

In a statement issued on November 28, 2019, the Congress Party claimed that the money laundering charges against Yameen were politically motivated. According to the party, the case was brought against him as part of the current administration’s effort to fulfill its electoral pledges. He was detained before the trial was completed, which also prevented him from taking part in the April 2019 parliamentary election. The statement further claimed that he was not granted bail until only a few days before the election.

Questions Over the Judge’s Role

The Congress Party also alleged that the judiciary came under political pressure during Yameen’s trial. The statement said that on November 5, 2019, the day scheduled for the sentencing hearing, the Judicial Services Commission temporarily removed Criminal Court Chief Judge Ahmed Hailam from his judicial duties.

In a subsequent written statement, Judge Hailam alleged that several senior government and ruling-party officials had pressured him to convict Yameen during the trial. He also said that he had been threatened with disciplinary action from the very beginning of the case.

Judge Ali Rasheed was subsequently appointed acting chief judge. On November 9, he made comments to the media contradicting Judge Hailam’s allegations. The Congress Party claimed that the judge’s comments to the media about an ongoing trial were inconsistent with Maldivian judicial law. The party also said the incident raised questions about Rasheed’s impartiality.

Concerns Over Judicial Independence

The statement also expressed concern over the actions of the Maldives Judicial Services Commission. The party claimed that, at the time, the commission was removing several sitting judges, including the Chief Justice and three other judges of the Supreme Court.

The Congress Party further alleged that the presence on the commission of a ruling-party leader and at least two of the leader’s former lawyers created concerns about political interference in the independence of the judiciary. The party also alleged that the government had selectively adopted recommendations made by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, choosing those that served political interests.

Prosecutor General Resigns

The statement said that the country’s Prosecutor General resigned on the same day Yameen was sentenced. The Prosecutor General, who had played a role in prosecuting the case against Yameen, resigned alleging irregularities in the process to initiate his impeachment in parliament.

Yameen’s lawyers cited the situation and asked the court to suspend the proceedings. They argued that, under the circumstances, Yameen could be denied his right to bail. However, according to the Congress Party statement, Acting Chief Judge Ali Rasheed rejected the application and proceeded to announce the sentence quickly.

At the end of its statement, the Congress Party called on the Maldives government to uphold the rule of law and protect Yameen’s constitutional and international human rights. The party demanded his immediate release and described the case as unfair and politically motivated from the outset.

The statement highlights the Maldivian opposition’s allegations concerning Yameen’s imprisonment, the independence of the judiciary, and political pressure on the judicial process.