Supreme Court has upheld the 13-year jail verdict issued on former President Mohamed Nasheed.
The decision was passed in the Supreme Court hearing held Monday, after the case was filed in Supreme Court by PG.
The former President was sentenced to serve 13 years in jail after having being proven guilty of illegally detaining Criminal Court Judge Abdullah Mohamed in Girifushi island by using MNDF officials.
The trial was started in 2013, but had languished over months. The trials were restarted and sentenced March 13, 2015. Nasheed's defense had consistently stated that they had not been granted enough time to prepare their defense and the trial was not a just one. Following the verdict, the defense had filed the case in UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which had declared the trial was a unsound one and recommended to release Nasheed.
The five justices of Supreme Court had unanimously agreed on today’s verdict. Chief Justice Abdullah Saeed said the lower Court verdict on the matter was just and within constitutional and judicial means. He said the defense had ample time to prepare their defense and Nasheed had not been deprived from any rights, including right to appoint an attorney and present evidence.
Chief Justice said Nasheed had been granted ample time to appoint a lawyer and had carried out the trials with a lawyer. However, the lawyer had recused himself mid-trial and even after this, Nasheed was given time to appoint a lawyer.
He also said that Nasheed had the right to appeal, which had not been used giving further support that the lower court verdict was a just one. He said that the main points of contention raised by the defense had not been proven, including impartiality of Judges, summoning witnesses, time to prepare the defense.
Nasheed had left the country, on a medical leave granted by the Government for a spinal surgery. He had fled to the UK and gained political asylum.
Speaking to press after the verdict, Nasheed’s lawyers Hisaan Hussain said they had not filed for appeal as they did not believe that they could get a fair ruling. She said the Supreme Court had not taken into account what the defense had raised in the hearings, adding that the verdict was not a just one.
She assured that Nasheed will remain steadfast in his aim to encourage international parties to enact measures on individuals.