A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Security has been heightened at the Velana International Airport as a precautionary measure, the defence minister has said after soldiers began carrying weapons and explosives detectors at the airport island on Saturday. Contrary to rumours, Adam Shareef Umar told the press that the Maldives is not at risk of an imminent terrorist attack. “There is no […]
The military’s firemen put out flames inside the parliament building in the early hours of Sunday after a dustbin and tissue box at a restroom caught fire. The fire was reported around 3:53 am, according to the Maldives National Defence Force, which is also responsible for maintaining security at the People’s Majlis. The fire incident […]
A special audit of the Fenaka Corporation has uncovered a foreign exchange scam and corrupt fuel supply and procurement deals that cost the state-owned utility company millions in losses. The damning audit report made public Wednesday flagged several suspicious transactions in 2014 and 2015 that unduly benefited private parties, including the conversion of local currency […]
President Abdulla Yameen has launched the ‘Y18 Sports Fiesta’ organised by the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives as part of his 2018 re-election campaign with MVR7.5 million (US$490,000) in prize money for winning teams. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony Monday night at the National Art Gallery, Yameen praised the PPM for planning such a large-scale event […]
The judicial authorities have revoked the suspension of 13 out of 54 lawyers who were barred from appearing in court for signing a petition for judicial reform. On Monday, the Department of Judicial Administration, which functions under the Supreme Court, announced that the suspension was lifted after the investigation of their cases was completed. The 54 […]
The ambassador-designate to Sri Lanka has stood by threats to detain former President Mohamed Nasheed after the exiled opposition leader’s high-profile international lawyers expressed concern about their client’s safety. Mohamed Hussain Shareef ‘Mundhu’ told the pro-government Sun TV last week that the Maldivian embassy would enforce orders to detain Nasheed in Colombo and return him to the Maldives to […]
The Maldives’ absence from a UN vote on the prevention of mass atrocities amid global concern over the exodus of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar has drawn fierce criticism with the opposition speculating that the move was dictated by China. On Friday, 113 countries voted in favour of including a debate on ‘The Responsibility to Protect […]
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 […]
The Prosecutor General’s office has revised charges raised against MP Faris Maumoon from accepting bribes to offering to bribe fellow lawmakers to back the impeachment of the speaker. An official from the PG office said the change was made without withdrawing the case from the criminal court, which has since handed over case documents to […]