A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Foreign Minister Dr Mohamed Asim gives his address during a UN General Assembly. The Maldives abstained from voting on a motion to deliberate initiative against the genocides, killings and persecution in various countries at the 72nd General Assembly of the United Nations, following which the government has come under fire from both the opposition and […]
Three young men have been charged with terrorism over the abduction of Ahmed Rilwan, more than three years after the Maldives Independent journalist was forced into a car at knifepoint outside his apartment building in Hulhumalé. The Prosecutor General’s office pressed charges against suspected gang members Aalif Rauf, Mohamed Nooradeen, and Mohamed Suaid on August 15, a […]
Former Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed have had their say after the Maldives decided not to participate in the United Nations General Assembly vote to include “The Responsibility to Protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity’ in its agenda. Nasheed, the first democratically elected President, sent […]
The anti-corruption watchdog has launched a probe after an anonymised list of 661 flat winners caused an uproar from unsuccessful applicants of the government housing programme. Complaints were lodged last week over the lack of transparency and the housing ministry’s failure to explain how points were awarded, Anti-Corruption Commission officials told the press. About 15,000 […]
The health authorities have drawn up new rules to stop the sale of single cigarettes and introduce graphic warning images on packs and tobacco products. The sale of single sticks of cigarettes needs to be banned because “it is a tactic mainly used to lure children and young adolescents into smoking,” Dr Aishath Aroona, vice chair […]
Statistics published by Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) revealed that the revenue generated from Goods and Services Tax (GST) dropped by 18% last month. Last Year, MIRA collected MVR 556 Million from GST during August month which dropped to MVR 469 Million this year. According to MIRA, overall revenue generated from various taxes totaled to […]
A port worker was severely burned and two others injured when an oil barrel exploded Tuesday morning near the welding workshop at the Maldives Ports Limited’s commercial harbour in Malé. A police spokesman said the victims were rushed to the hospital shortly after the incident was reported around 10 am. The three MPL staff were working near […]
The following is a translation of a petition signed by 56 lawyers outlining serious concerns with the Maldivian judiciary. We, lawyers, are signing this petition because we are concerned about the situation of justice in the Maldives. We, therefore, call upon the relevant state authorities to address the concerns outlined herein. A majority of the […]
A group of international human rights groups have called on the Supreme Court to lift the suspension of more than 50 lawyers who signed a petition calling for judicial reform, criticising the lack of due process before the unprecedented move. “None of the 56 lawyers has been allowed to exercise their right to defend themselves or […]