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Maldives Independent

Government proposes new media regulatory body

Government proposes new media regulatory body

2 min read

A ruling party lawmaker has proposed legislation for the creation of a new media regulatory body after dissolving the broadcasting commission and media council. The introduction of the ‘Maldives Media Commission’ bill has been tabled in the agenda for Tuesday’s sitting of parliament. MP Jaufar Dawood, who submitted the bill on behalf of the government, […]

MP Didi’s new lawyer gets two weeks to prepare for terrorism trial

MP Didi’s new lawyer gets two weeks to prepare for terrorism trial

3 min read

Opposition MP Ibrahim Mohamed Didi’s terrorism trial over the military’s detention of the criminal court’s former chief judge in January 2012 resumed Monday with new legal counsel. The retired brigadier general’s trial has been stalled since August after his first lawyer was suspended over a judicial reform petition. A second lawyer withdrew from the case earlier […]

Alleged Maldivian jihadis cleared of intent to join terror group

Alleged Maldivian jihadis cleared of intent to join terror group

2 min read

The first Maldivians to be charged with travelling abroad with the intent of joining a terror group have been acquitted and set free. In a closed hearing Thursday, the criminal court decided that the prosecution was unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Ahmed Latheef, Ahmed Suhail Moosa, and Munawwar Abdulla went to Turkey to cross the […]

Anti-graft watchdog seeks to recover US$84m

Anti-graft watchdog seeks to recover US$84m

3 min read

The anti-corruption watchdog has sought charges against four unnamed men to recover MVR1.3 billion (US$84.3 million) in stolen public funds. The 43 counts of “recompensing government loss” was among 239 charges forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s office in the third quarter of 2017, the Anti-Corruption Commission said in a statement Thursday. The charges include 99 […]

State seeks to anonymise witnesses in Faris identity fraud trial

State seeks to anonymise witnesses in Faris identity fraud trial

3 min read

State prosecutors asked the criminal court Sunday to anonymise two witnesses on the grounds that they could lose their jobs if they testify openly in the identity fraud trial of MP Faris Maumoon. Faris, the son of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, was charged with identity fraud for the use of the flag and logo […]

Imran and Faris taken back to jail

Imran and Faris taken back to jail

2 min read

Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla and MP Faris Maumoon were abruptly taken back to Maafushi jail Saturday after short periods under house arrest. Imran, who was convicted of terrorism over a speech he gave at the 2015 May Day anti-government protest, was transferred to house arrest on September 21 after his wife gave birth […]

Nasheed calls for interim leader in 2018

Nasheed calls for interim leader in 2018

3 min read

Exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed has called for the united opposition to seek the election of an interim leader in the 2018 presidential election. The task of the interim president should be transitional matters, “especially reforming the judiciary and reforming the government,” the opposition leader said in a message to members of the Maldivian Democratic Party. […]

Two Maldivians caught en route to Syria

Two Maldivians caught en route to Syria

3 min read

Two Maldivians en route to join the fighting in Syria have been arrested in Turkey and brought back to the country, according to the police. Both suspects have been remanded for 15 days, the police said, declining to disclose any further details. Two Maldivians were arrested in Turkey and brought back to Maldives while en […]

Yameen dials up campaign rhetoric

Yameen dials up campaign rhetoric

3 min read

President Abdulla Yameen dialled up campaign rhetoric Thursday night at the first major rally of the Progressive Party of Maldives since facing heavy losses in May’s council elections. With less than a year for the 2018 presidential election, Yameen’s speech was heavily focused on excoriating the Maldivian Democratic Party government of former President Mohamed Nasheed, who presided […]