Ustaz Abdullah Hameed and Ustaz Mohamed Saleem were officially appointed as Justices of the Supreme Court of the Maldives today, following their approval by the Parliament in a session held this morning. The appointments fill the vacancies created by the dismissal of former Justices Mahaz Ali Zahir and Dr. Azmiralda Zahir.
A special ceremony took place this afternoon at the President’s Office, where President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu presented Hameed and Saleem with their letters of appointment. The oath of office was administered by Honorable Justice Aisha Shujoon Mohamed of the Supreme Court.
Ustaz Mohamed Saleem holds a Bachelor’s degree from Kulliyyatul Dirasatil Islamiyya and brings extensive judicial experience to the bench. He served as a Legal Officer at the High Court for 12 years and was appointed as a High Court Judge on August 9, 2022. Ustaz Abdullah Hameed completed his higher education in Shariah and Law at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. His career includes teaching at Ma’hadul Dirasatil Islamiyya and serving as a judge at the Civil Court. Hameed was a High Court Judge from December 9, 2007, until June 6, 2022, when he was dismissed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) during the previous Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government for accepting a government flat, deemed inappropriate for a judge.
The appointments follow a rigorous selection process by the JSC, which recommended Hameed and Saleem to the President after evaluating their qualifications and conducting interviews. Their parliamentary approval and subsequent swearing-in mark a significant step in reinforcing the Maldives’ judicial framework.