The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared that religiously conservative Adhaalath Party's leader and Islamic scholar, Sheikh Imran Abdulla, was convicted unlawfully and called on the Maldivian government for his immediate release.
Maldives Democracy Network raised Sheikh Imran’s case to the UN Working Group in 2016. Officials from the Group came to the Maldives to investigate the case, and met with different authorities to discuss the issue in detail.
A year after the case was submitted, the Group decided that Sheikh Imran was convicted unlawfully and called to release him at the earliest. He has so far served almost three years of his 12-year sentence. He was convicted of terrorism charges over inciting violence in an opposition rally on May 1, 2015.
The Working Group has released a report, detailing their findings and how they came to the conclusion to release him. The report stated that they have thoroughly investigated the case and that the state had convicted him against international laws and agreements. The report also noted that there were human rights officials involved in the Group presiding over Imran's case.
In addition to releasing him, the Group called on the government to compensate Sheikh Imran for his losses. They have requested to be informed within six months, of his release date and the details of his compensation in order to ensure his rights are not violated further.
The UN Working Group had also previously declared that former President Mohamed Nasheed’s 13-year sentence on terrorism charges was void.
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