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Graphic: John Tiedemann I am a member of an Amnesty International chapter, and we have been advocating for the release of Mohamed Nasheed for months. We have just read on your web site about his release, and are overjoyed. We just want to be assured that you are confident in your sources who have reported this release. If it really has occurred, we certainly want to make it known to Amnesty International members. Do you have any facts or even opinions on why the government chose to release him at this time? Do you have any information on his health and welfare, and if he fears at all for his further safety? Will he remain in the Maldives? Any information you could pass on to us would be very helpful.  We waged a campaign here on Mr. Mohamed Nasheed's behalf. Quite honestly we could not have found Maldives on a blank map when we first started but we found people who had knowledge of the country, studied the Maldives' Constitution and used websites such as yours for additional information. Please congratulate Mr. Mohamed Nasheed' from us. We are very happy for him. Thank you too for being an invaluable link in the chain of actions that brought this about. I read your article on Nasheed, the former legislator who was convicted on theft. I certainly agree with you when you say that he is a reformer with considerable popularity within the community. However I am completely bewildered when you stated that the case has exposed that the Maldivian Court System lacks integrity. It is easy to make such sweeping comments but it maybe difficult for someone to understand the different legal systems and the ambit of the laws and legal frame work existing in different countries. One can argue whether a particular legal system is in harmony in today's so called civil societies and the concept of human rights. Courts in all jurisdictions throughout the world operate within the legal frame work of that particular country. Courts do not operate as legislature. In fact, the role played by the courts of the common law countries has been largely debated by the legal jurists in those countries as well. Hence courts whether in Maldives or Australia or any other country for that matter cannot exclude itself from the existing legal system in that country. In our legal system, once a person makes a police confession stating that he or she has committed a particular offence, he may be subject to that confession. He can however retrieve that confession if he can prove to the court that the confession was obtained under a threat, or force, or duress. Nasheed in his police satatement has confessed to committing the alleged crime ( which did not state that he took the things he is alleged to have taken in the presence of any other persons) and in court when the charge was read on him he again confessed to the truth of the statement and offered no defence for his action. In such circumstances, no legal system in the world can afford him an acquittal. Hence I failed to understand why Nasheed's case in particular expose the integrity of the court system. The legal system has been working in this way for a long period of time and as I said one can argue on its suitablity or whether it is the good law for a civil society. Many other ordinary Maldivians in the past have been convicted under the similar law and for petty crimes for example allegedly taking a bottle of shampoo or a chocolate bar worth two Maldivian rufiyaa, but in all these circumstances they were convicted and have been serving the sentences. In any way their lives are not less worthy than that of Nasheed and I think it is up to the people and the government and people like Nasheed to fight or at least to advocate for the criminal legal system of the country if they are not happy with the system. Unless that happens I cannot see the legality or validity of your comment on the court system of the country. Thank you. Why is your site not updated regularly? It seems you have the same page (news) for a long time. Also, its getting boring what you write because I find that what you are writing is just a translation of what we read in Haveeru or Huvas. Please write some good stuff. Great site guys, and your content is very well justified. I support your views, keep it up. Any more new articles? I think the site updates a bit late? Anyway keep up the good work. I read your article in web site the news regarding arrest of 5 people who were spreading Christianity was quiet rubbish. Is that your culture of arresting people who follow other religion or spreading religion other then Islam? Do you people don't like any other religion other than Islam? In west no body likes Islam because it is a religion which made with full of blood and terrorists. You people need help from western world but you don't like Christianity right. All the modern technology were created only by people other than Muslims, then why you people are using thing like Computer, Internet etc. If you have a real answer for the above question let me know. If no, then your religion is the religion of Barbarians and terrorist. |
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Maldives Culture is an independent internet magazine of Maldivian cultural issues.
Editors and translators: Michael O'Shea and Fareesha Abdulla, Australia
We invite contributions from Maldivians and others interested in Maldives.
Contributions and comments - mc_editors@hotmail.com
