Twelve Members of Parliament has been summoned to Criminal Court to hand over case documentation on the multiple charges raised against them.
The MPs were summoned to Court Thursday morning.
They are charged with obstruction having broken Police ranks and trespassing Parliament grounds on July 24th. The charges were raised against them under clauses 532 (a) and (c) of the Penal Code.
If proven, all MPs face a minimum jail term of four months and 24 days, with a maximum of one year.
The 12 MPs facing charges are:
- Hinnavaru Constituency MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
- Dhihdhoo Constituency MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed
- Thulusdhoo Constituency MP Ibrahim Mohamed Waheed
- Hithadhoo Central Constituency MP Ibrahim Mohamed Didi
- Hithadhoo North Constituency MP Mohamed Aslam
- Kendhoo Constituency MP Ali Hussain
- Henveyru South Constituency MP Mohamed Abdul Kareem
- Maafannu West Constituency MP Mohamed Falah
- Nolhivaram Constituency MP Hussain Areef
- Maduvvari Constituency MP Mohamed Ameeth
- Vilingili Constituency MP Saud Hussain
- Henveyru North Constituency MP Abdullah Shahid
MPs Waheed, Saud and Ameeth have also been charged with trespassing Parliament grounds illegally, after they were stripped from their Parliament seats. They are charged under clauses 230 (a) and (c) of the Penal Code. If proven guilty they face a jail term of nine months and 18 days.
After attending the session, Maldivian Democratic Party (MPD) Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih reported that these charges only proved the Government had lost their grip on the Parliament and were resorting to extrajudicial measures to exert control. This, he said was the first time in the nation’s history that so many MPs faced trials.
MP Solih remained defiant, stating that the opposition had no intention of ceasing their activities in spite of the many attacks they had faced.
Jumhooree Party Leader Abdullah Riyaz had echoed the same sentiments, adding the opposition MPs remained determined in their mandate. He said the opposition will not kneel down in submission.
Parliament premises were barricaded on July 24th and MPs were barred from entering. Afterwards, Police and Army officers had forcibly removed MPs from the premises. This is the first time in the nation’s constitutional history that such an event had occurred.
While these charges were raised against 12 MPs, MPs Qasim Ibrahim and Faris Maumoon are already on trial. State had refused to grant MP Qasim permission to travel abroad for medical treatment and in Thursday’s hearings in Criminal Court MP Qasim had collapsed. MP Faris has been detained for over a month, for the duration of investigation and trial on attempted bribery charges.
