A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
COLOMBO: The Maldives may seek Sri Lanka’s help to deport former president Mohamed Nasheed, the country’s envoy said today, a day after the exiled leader’s lawyer raised fears for his safety. Male’s ambassador-designate to Colombo, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, in a statement said that Nasheed, the first democratically elected president, is a “fugitive” and left the […]
The new Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Zhang Lizhong, has paid a courtesy call on Vice President Abdulla Jihad, this morning at the President’s Office. At the call, the Vice President welcomed the Ambassador to the Maldives and congratulated him on the commencement of his term as the Ambassador of China to […]
In the Maldives, as next year’s elections approach, the Government is increasingly cracking down on critical views. After several Members of Parliament were stripped of their seats following an attempted no-confidence vote against the Speaker, and the unprecedented lock-down by the military on 24 July, the Parliament remains paralysed, and several of its Members and […]
Amal Clooney with former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed at a press conference in London in January 2016 Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney Wednesday raised fresh fears for the safety of her client, former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed, after an official vowed to have him arrested and deported. The London-based lawyer said she was “very concerned” […]
The Maldives has urged the UN high commissioner for human rights to “present a more balanced view of the democratic reality of the country” after strong criticism over the reversal of democratic gains. In his opening statement Monday at the UN Human Rights Council’s 36th session, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussain said the Maldivian government was “increasingly […]
Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive from Myanmar after crossing the Naf river in the Bangladeshi town of Teknaf on September 12, 2017. Some 370,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar and entered Bangladesh since an upsurge in violence late last month, the United Nations said September 12. “An estimated 370,000 Rohingya have entered Bangladesh after fleeing violence […]
President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has sent a message of condolence to His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong XV Sultan Muhammad V of Malaysia, following the demise of Sultan Tuanku Abdul Halim of Kedah. The President’s message reads as follows: “I am deeply grieved to hear the news of passing away of Sultan Tuanku Abdul […]
Lawyers gathered in front of the Supreme Court to submit a petition raising concerns over the Maldivian judiciary. The European Union and British Ambassador to the Maldives on Monday criticized the mass suspension of over 50 lawyers in the archipelago over an “unlawful” petition they submitted to the Supreme Court. In a tweet posted late […]