President Abdullah Yameen has stated that foreign bodies do not have jurisdiction over rulings made by Court in the country and that all the recommendations of UN Working Group do not have to be implemented.

He made this remark while speaking at a function organized by the Progressive Party of Maldives, held Monday night. In his address, President Yameen said the world was an interconnected place and as such Maldives cannot function on isolationism. He said he supported policies of groups such as the UN. However, he said the Government of Maldives will not implement all the ruling issued by the Group, especially if the Group calls on the Government to flout laws and Islam.

His comments were directed at the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s rulings on former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Defense Minister Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim. The Group had called on the Government to release the two. UN Group had not called to flout any laws but had carried out a review that determined that the rights of the two were infringed on.

He said there was no room for any party to challenge the decisions made by the Courts. Noting that once a case passes through the three stages, the rulings must be accepted.

President Yameen stressed that his regime had not arbitrarily arrested any one. However, he said in the event national and public security is at risk, then he will have to implement necessary measures. Preisdent Yameen assured that even in this situation, all measures will be carried out legally and within the judicial system.

Opposition political figures and lawyers have stressed that the Government, backed with their majority in the Parliament had sought out to change the laws to fit the required situation. They also said the Government had framed individuals using the justice system and carried out trials against legal means in order to penalize individuals. The opposition figures also say the Government had unlawfully detained opposition figures.