Lawmakers pictured in a parliament sitting. PHOTO: MP Nihan/twitter
The parliament on Monday threw out the emergency bill proposed over arresting Jumhoory Party (JP)’s leader and lawmaker of Maamigili constituency Qasim Ibrahim against the Constitution and its regulations.
The emergency bill proposed by the Deputy Leader of JP and former Police Commissioner, Kinbidhoo MP Abdulla Riyaz, stated that Qasim was arrested against Subject 13 (a) of the Parliamentary Privileges Act.
The bill also highlighted that Qasim is being obstructed from fulfilling his duty by violating the constitutional rights granted to him.
In addition, the opposition lawmakers also highlighted that Qasim was not brought to the parliament despite being under the custody of Maldives Police Service. Subject 205 of parliament regulations states that every lawmaker, who is detained on suspicion of committing a criminal offence, has the right to participate in parliament sittings during his detention.
Countering the complaints of opposition lawmakers, Speaker Abdulla Maseeh responded that certain terms were not included in the emergency bill proposed. Therefore, the speaker said that despite wishes to include it in the parliament’s schedule, the matter cannot be permitted.
He also noted that all procedures were followed during and after the arrest of lawmaker Qasim by Police as well as Parliament.
Police decline to give a reason for not bringing Qasim Ibrahim to the parliamentary sitting on Monday.
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.