President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that the courts in the Maldives now possess independence to rule on cases with full autonomy. He made this statement during an event held in Shaviyani atoll Noomaraa while campaigning for the upcoming presidential elections.
Speaking at the campaign event, President Solih emphasized the significance of returning to legal boundaries and ensuring that decisions are made within these parameters. He highlighted the government's efforts to ensure the independence of the judiciary, stating that the current administration does not exert any influence over the judicial process.
The President gave this assurance at a time when crucial trials related to the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdulla Yameen are ongoing in the Criminal Court and the High Court.
Although former President Abdulla Yameen has been nominated as the PPMs presidential candidate, he currently does not fulfil a key requirement for presidential candidacy due to his conviction.
The ongoing appeal process of the Vaavu atoll Aarah case in the High Court, where Yameen has been convicted for fraudulent activity, presents a challenge in terms of meeting the deadline for applying for presidential candidacy. Unless several hearings of the case are conducted within this month, it may not be possible to conclude the case in time for the candidacy deadline.
The deadline for presidential candidacy applications is August 7. According to President Yameen’s lawyers the current appeal case will be concluded by then.
PPM has reiterated their stance that Yameen will be their candidate, even if the appeal case is not concluded by the deadline. They have expressed their intention to take the matter to the Supreme Court if the Elections Commission rejects Yameen's candidacy, expressing confidence in the court's decision to enable Yameen's participation in the elections.
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