Qasim pictured with senior members of his Jumhoory Party PHOTO: JP
The High Court on Wednesday ordered the immediate release of Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim as he was arrested against the Parliamentary Privileges Act of lawmakers.
The High Court issued the verdict at the hearing of Qasim’s appeal trial held Wednesday afternoon.
According to the verdict, his arrest was unlawful as the arrest warrant was issued by the Criminal Court on request of Maldives Police Service. The Parliamentary Privileges Act states that unless a lawmaker is found in the act of a criminal offence, he or she may only be arrested for a criminal charge by an order of a superior court or a court above it. Moreover, such a request may only be made by the Prosecutor General (PG) if a lawmaker’s arrest is required by any investigative forces.
The High Court’s Judges Bench chaired by Abdulla Hameed included Senior Judge Abdulla Didi and Judge Ali Sameer.
Speaking to reporters after his release, Qasim proclaimed that he has no hard feelings towards the police or the Criminal Court, saying that it is possible for either to make mistakes. Disclosing that the Prosecutor General’s Office had admitted the state’s mistake in arresting him during the High Court trial, he praised the judiciary for how it handled the case.
Qasim also spoke warmly of being treated well while he was detained in police custody, commenting that the behavioral and disciplinary ideology of members of law enforcement have changed greatly from before.
“In what way? The way of progress, the way to move forward,” he said.
While Qasim has been released under the order of the High Court, the Prosecutor General has already pressed three charges against Qasim which has now been forwarded to the Criminal Court. The trials are scheduled to commence this Thursday.