Investigating state related cases without authorization is a crime- Abbas

Press Secretary Abbas Adil Riza has said that it is a crime punishable by law for individuals to investigate state related cases without prior authorization. He said that there are independent institutions established for such investigations and it is a crime for individual people to investigate and publish reports regarding such cases.

Abbas noted that there are institutions that have the authorization to seek state secrets and there exists committees in the Peoples’ Majlis for such work if the need arises.

Abbas said that if the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) wants to investigate the transfer of power on February 7 then they would have already formed the committee and initiated an investigation but up until now they have not. He said that this shows that MDP is not sincere in their claims.

“Why have not they filed the case at the courts of law? If they do not accept the courts of law of Maldives why don’t they file the case at any international court? Rather, they will never do that. They fear that if they do then all their cases of corruption and such will be exposed to the world,” he said.

Abbas also said that if MDP doubt the integrity of President Dr. Mohamed Waheed, they would have at least tried to take a vote of no confidence against the President in the past four months.

“MDP has enough members to present such a resolution to the Majlis. No matter how the result of the vote turns up, if President Dr. Mohamed Waheed is some one who the MDP doubts, then just for at least to record it in history they would have entered the resolution against him. Since they have not done so proves that they approve and accept his presidency,” he said.