Commonwealth Lawyers Association urges respect for judicial independence

The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) has urged the Maldives government to refrain from taking action against Supreme Court Justices Dr Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir without adhering to due process.

In a statement, the CLA emphasized the need to uphold judicial independence and called on both the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and Parliament to ensure that any disciplinary measures are evidence-based and procedurally fair.

CLA also called for scrutiny of the JSC's recommendation to dismiss the two judges, stating that Parliament should reject the motion if it lacks fairness and sufficient grounds.

The association affirmed its commitment to monitoring developments and working alongside the Bar Council of Maldives and international bodies to uphold the rule of law.

The two judges are accused of using their influence to secure the release of Dr Azmiralda's husband, Dr Ismail Latheef. Both judges have requested the opportunity to present their concerns before Parliament, a request denied during a Judiciary Committee meeting on Saturday. While members of the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) stated the matter had no procedural issues, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members argued the judges should be heard.

As per constitution, judges can only be removed through a Parliament vote following a JSC recommendation.