Government should release the Judge from military custody or charge him for crime: UN
 
Military only arrested a notorious criminal called Abdullah: Press Secretary

The Associated Press has reported that United Nations Human Rights Commission said Saturday the Maldives should release a judge from military custody or charge him with a crime, as the world body considers a government request for help resolving a dispute with the country's judiciary.

According to the reports, UN officials are still discussing how to respond to the request, said Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman at the human rights office.

"While acknowledging the challenges Maldives faces in reforming and strengthening its judiciary, we believe that Judge Abdullah should either be treated with due process, meaning he should be properly charged moved from military detention, and brought before a court, or released," she said to the Associated Press.

The media report noted that the military arrested Abdulla Mohamed, the chief judge at the Maldives Criminal Court, nearly two weeks ago after he freed a government critic who had been detained without a warrant.  It also added that the government accuses of the judge of corruption and political bias but has not brought him to court for any offences.

The report further noted that the vice-president, Supreme Court and the Judicial Service Commission, which inquires into complaints against judges, have called unsuccessfully for his release.

“The military has also ignored a High Court order to produce the judge for a hearing of complaints against him. The arrest has sparked daily street protests that has resulted in clashes between police and opposition activists,” the report on the international news media said.

In view of this report, President Mohamed Nasheed’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair said that the government is not keeping any judge in military custody. He said that Abdullah Mohamed who was arrested is a notorious criminal.

Zuhair said that Abdullah was arrested for taking advantage of his authority and the threat he has been posing to the society because of this. He said that the military took him to custody at the request of the Police.

Furthermore, he said that the government fully respects the decisions of the UN. He said that the government has filed cases against Abdullah in the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and High Court.