The Parliament of Maldives has accepted the motion to appeal to the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General's Office to review the jail sentence passed on former President Mohamed Nasheed and has forwarded it to the Committee on Independent Institutions.
Parliament endorsed to send the motion to the Committee on Independent Institutions with a majority of 48 members voting in favour. There were five abstentions and five negations.
At the preliminary debate held at the second sitting of the third session, parliamentarian Eva Abdulla, who submitted the motion said it is high time President Nasheed returns to Maldives as a free man. Eva Abdulla said the motion aims to make the state implement the recommendation by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on the issue, as mandated under international declarations Maldives has signed.
Eva described the trial of the former president as an unjust, inhumane and out-of-the world political circus. She noted the international community and international human rights organisations has called for his release. Speaking in this regard, the parliamentarian stressed on the need to seek justice for everyone who has suffered injustice and said the incoming government needs to salvage the judiciary which has been politically influenced.
Speaking on the matter, Parliamentarian Abdulla Shahid called for relevant authorities to facilitate the implementations of the recommendation by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on issue. Expressing similar thoughts, Parliamentarian Anaara Naeem expressed hope the court cases, now pending at the Supreme Court, would set a precedent that will allow free political activity in the country.
Meanwhile, former leader of Jumhooree Party Gasim Ibrahim said Nasheed should be allowed to reclaim the rights that he has been deprived of in the past few years. Furthermore, incoming Vice President Faisal Naseem called for Nasheed's immediate release.
Some parliamentarians questioned the need of accepting the motion for consideration and holding a preliminary debate on it, when the Prosecutor General's Office has appealed to the Supreme Court to review the 13-year jail sentence passed on former President Nasheed.
Members representing the ruling party stated although they too support justice being served, they should assure any decision on the matter should be made within prescribed laws and regulations. They also questioned if the legislature can appeal to the judiciary to nullify a verdict passed by a court of law.