Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the renowned lawyer Husnu al-Suood indefinitely.
According to a notice issued by the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA), Husnu al-Suood was suspended over tweets he made on Monday, which was cited in an article of local media Vnews. While DJA stated that the issue was being investigated, the institution did not disclose any details.
In one of two tweets Suood posted on Monday, he called for the resignation of Parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh and Chief Justice Ahmed Abdulla Didi.
In the interests of national unity and stability, call upon Maseeh and Dr. Ahmed Abdulla Didi to resign from the posts of Speaker of Majlis and Chief Justice respectively.
— Husnu Al Suood (@hsuood) September 24, 2018
In another tweet, Suood responded to a question raised by a Twitter user, stating that the Supreme Court had extended the presidential term unconstitutionally in 2013.
Supreme court issued an unconstitutional ruling to extend the presidential term in November 2013. https://t.co/nFp4dBK47r
— Husnu Al Suood (@hsuood) September 24, 2018
He was referring to the 2013 election, which was postponed twice due to various issues leading up to the election, thus failing to swear in a president on November 11 as per the Constitution. The former President Mohamed Waheed stayed in power until the incumbent President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom was sworn in on November 17.
Following his suspension, Suood tweeted the notice issued by DJA, and again called for the suspension of Chief Justice Dr. Didi, adding that an opposition administration would stop the arbitrary suspension of lawyers.
I was suspended by the SC on 25th September 2013. On the occasion of its 5th anniversary today, SC suspends me from practice. #AharemenEdheyVerikameggai javaabudhaaree vumuge furusathu nudhee, arbitrary koh vakeelun suspend kurun huttuvaanan. Justice Dr. Didi must resign. pic.twitter.com/M1Ggc6dit0
— Husnu Al Suood (@hsuood) September 25, 2018
He noted that the Supreme Court had also suspended him on the same day five years ago.
Suood has a history of suspensions over various issues. He was suspended along with 54 lawyers over a petition submitted to the Supreme Court last year September. His suspension was lifted on February 5 this year, during the state of emergency that was declared after the top court's landmark verdict.
He was again suspended on March 20 this year by the Criminal Court, over comments he made to the media after a hearing of former Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, who is charged with obstruction of state functioning. He was suspended as his remarks were deemed to create a false impression of the case to the public.
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