The Supreme Court of Maldives on Sunday (August 6) barred jailed former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to take part in next month's presidential election.

The Supreme Court of Maldives on Sunday (August 6) barred jailed former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to take part in next month's presidential election. Yameen is currently serving an 11-year jail sentence after he was convicted on corruption and money-laundering charges. The Supreme Court's ruling is a setback for Yameen's Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), which declared Yameen as its presidential candidate before he was convicted. According to a report by the news agency AFP, the PPM had not nominated another candidate, hoping Yameen could run from prison after appealing to the apex court. Last week, the PPM challenged the Election Commission's block on his candidacy because of his jail sentence, arguing that the commission misinterpreted the constitutional prerequisites for presidential candidates. As per a report by the news agency Reuters, Justice Husnu Al Suood ruled on Sunday the poll body's decision that "Gayoom is ineligible as he doesn't meet the conditions stipulated under article 109 is the correct decision." PPM might back a proxy candidate for election President Mohamed Solih, who took charge of the top post in 2018 after defeating Yameen, is seeking a second term in office despite his Maldivian Democratic Party splitting in June after a public fallout between Solih and another former president, Mohamed Nasheed. The PPM had hoped to mount a serious challenge to Solih. However, a part source, who did not wish to be identified, told AFP that they might now back a proxy candidate. The deadline to file nominations for the presidential election was originally August 3 but was extended by four days to Monday. During his tenure as president, Yameen imprisoned or forced into exile political figures he considered a threat to his rule. He attempted to stay in office after his defeat in the 2018 election but was forced to step down following the threat of sanctions from the United States. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Maldives Supreme Court bars jailed ex-president from taking part in presidential poll

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WION evening news brief, March 22, 2018

Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) is to meet on the sidelines of the 71st session of UN General Assembly in New York on Friday to discuss human rights standards and political situation in the Maldives.&nbsp; 
 
The CMAG, a body of foreign ministers from nine member countries, is set to review Maldives&#39; progress on a six-point reform agenda - progress in political dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition, release of political prisoners, put an end to the government using the country&rsquo;s anti-terrorism act to jail political opponents and dissidents, a separation of powers and an independent judiciary, and freedom and space for civil society - it had proposed earlier this year. 
 
To avoid being put on the CMAG formal agenda, which is a step towards suspension or expulsion from the multilateral body, Maldives needed to take certain steps by September. 
 
On September 18, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) submitted a report to CMAG after a visit to Maldives earlier this month.&nbsp; 
 
The review said the Maldives government had failed to make progress on priority areas identified by the Commonwealth action group in February.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It is clear that the government is not engaging sincerely with the Commonwealth or the United Nations to implement reforms that will strengthen democratic institutions and enable realization of fundamental rights&quot; the report stated.&nbsp; 
 
CHRI has urged CMAG to suspend Maldives from the Councils of the Commonwealth, exclude the country from all Commonwealth inter-government meetings and events and halt all Commonwealth technical assistance, other than the mandate of the Secretary General&rsquo;s Special Envoy. 
 
CMAG had done a similar review in April and had expressed concern regarding the lack of progress.&nbsp; 
 
But the action group had decided not to take action against Maldives. Instead, it gave the island nation time till September to make &quot;clear, measurable progress&quot; in its polity and human rights standards.&nbsp; 
 
India on the horns of a dilemma 
 
India has kept quiet on Maldives despite the continuing political instability in the country.&nbsp; 
 
During the CMAG extraordinary meeting held in February, India along with Pakistan spoke in defence of the Maldives. Their backing helped the country avoid facing action.&nbsp; 
 
President of the Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had thanked India and Pakistan for helping them avoid action.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;There were some who attacked us. But we were saved because of the work done by both of our neighbouring powers,&rdquo; he said a few days after the CMAG meeting.&nbsp; 
 
During the visit to India few days ahead of the CMAG meeting in April, in a joint press statement with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Yameen said the main reason for his visit was to express gratitude for India&rsquo;s role in helping the Maldives avoid actions by CMAG. &nbsp; 
 
&quot;Mr Prime Minister, the reason I visited India today is to express my appreciation for the very steadfast leadership India has shown in protecting Maldives in the CMAG deliberations,&quot; he had said.&nbsp; 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed at India&#39;s role as &quot;the net security provider&quot; in the Indian Ocean.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The Maldives is among India&rsquo;s closest partners&hellip; The stability and security of the Maldives are in the interest of India&quot; he said. 
 
While India has played a vital role in preventing CMAG actions against Maldives till now, Maldives former president Mohamed Nasheed has urged the CMAG to base its decision on facts rather than political considerations of the stakeholder states. &nbsp; 
 
On September 23, a decision will be made about putting Maldives on the CMAG formal agenda.&nbsp; 
 
India, the largest democratic nation in the region, has a choice to make: whether to support Maldives or base their decision on the report made by the action group.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)

An NGO report says the island nation has failed to improve on priority areas despite the deadline stretched to September

Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) is to meet on the sidelines of the 71st session of UN General Assembly in New York on Friday to discuss human rights standards and political situation in the Maldives. The CMAG, a body of foreign ministers from nine member countries, is set to review Maldives' progress on a six-point reform agenda - progress in political dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition, release of political prisoners, put an end to the government using the country’s anti-terrorism act to jail political opponents and dissidents, a separation of powers and an independent judiciary, and freedom and space for civil society - it had proposed earlier this year. To avoid being put on the CMAG formal agenda, which is a step towards suspension or expulsion from the multilateral body, Maldives needed to take certain steps by September. On September 18, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) submitted a report to CMAG after a visit to Maldives earlier this month. The review said the Maldives government had failed to make progress on priority areas identified by the Commonwealth action group in February. "It is clear that the government is not engaging sincerely with the Commonwealth or the United Nations to implement reforms that will strengthen democratic institutions and enable realization of fundamental rights" the report stated. CHRI has urged CMAG to suspend Maldives from the Councils of the Commonwealth, exclude the country from all Commonwealth inter-government meetings and events and halt all Commonwealth technical assistance, other than the mandate of the Secretary General’s Special Envoy. CMAG had done a similar review in April and had expressed concern regarding the lack of progress. But the action group had decided not to take action against Maldives. Instead, it gave the island nation time till September to make "clear, measurable progress" in its polity and human rights standards. India on the horns of a dilemma India has kept quiet on Maldives despite the continuing political instability in the country. During the CMAG extraordinary meeting held in February, India along with Pakistan spoke in defence of the Maldives. Their backing helped the country avoid facing action. President of the Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had thanked India and Pakistan for helping them avoid action. "There were some who attacked us. But we were saved because of the work done by both of our neighbouring powers,” he said a few days after the CMAG meeting. During the visit to India few days ahead of the CMAG meeting in April, in a joint press statement with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Yameen said the main reason for his visit was to express gratitude for India’s role in helping the Maldives avoid actions by CMAG. "Mr Prime Minister, the reason I visited India today is to express my appreciation for the very steadfast leadership India has shown in protecting Maldives in the CMAG deliberations," he had said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed at India's role as "the net security provider" in the Indian Ocean. "The Maldives is among India’s closest partners… The stability and security of the Maldives are in the interest of India" he said. While India has played a vital role in preventing CMAG actions against Maldives till now, Maldives former president Mohamed Nasheed has urged the CMAG to base its decision on facts rather than political considerations of the stakeholder states. On September 23, a decision will be made about putting Maldives on the CMAG formal agenda. India, the largest democratic nation in the region, has a choice to make: whether to support Maldives or base their decision on the report made by the action group. (WION)

Dismal human rights record: Maldives faces Commonwealth ouster

Republic of Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, on the occasion of the country&rsquo;s 51st Independance day celebrations, said that it was the aim of the government to ensure that each primary school graduate in the country reads the book of Holy Quran in its entirety, starting next year. He added the government gave top priority to teaching Islam in schools because&nbsp;it was imperative to teach Quran to establish a &#39;modern society&#39;.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;It is important that the government ensures that all students in the country complete reading the Quran by the time they graduate primary school, starting from 2017,&rdquo; said the President&nbsp;during the flag raising ceremony held on Monday night. 
 
He admitted to the government being pressured to allow for religious freedom in the country, and also to receiving threats for trying to impose relgious prohibitions by teaching Islam in schools. The President, however,&nbsp;maintained that establishing Maldives Islamic University was a major step taken towards strengthening the hold of Holy Quran and Islam in the Maldivian society. 
 
Former Maldivian president and leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, on the other hand, pointed to loss of religious sovereignity being a factor that could cost the country its independence.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;The country could lose its independence, not just from an attack from another army, but from wave of extremism that is spreading across the world,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; 
 
In a press statement released on Monday, he pointed that political instability and influence of major economic powers were other factors that could shake the national unity.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s stated in Article 4 of the Maldivian Constitution that all powers of the State stem from the people. And that these powers are maintained through the people. There are national and individual rights and freedom that are guaranteed. I note that the challenges to the independence of the country that have come from some Maldivians, and express sadness over the fact,&rdquo; said Maumoon. 
 
He said that preserving the independance and sovereignity was of the highest national interest.&nbsp;

A former Maldives president, however, said loss of religious sovereignty could cost the country its independence

Republic of Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, on the occasion of the country’s 51st Independance day celebrations, said that it was the aim of the government to ensure that each primary school graduate in the country reads the book of Holy Quran in its entirety, starting next year. He added the government gave top priority to teaching Islam in schools because it was imperative to teach Quran to establish a 'modern society'. “It is important that the government ensures that all students in the country complete reading the Quran by the time they graduate primary school, starting from 2017,” said the President during the flag raising ceremony held on Monday night. He admitted to the government being pressured to allow for religious freedom in the country, and also to receiving threats for trying to impose relgious prohibitions by teaching Islam in schools. The President, however, maintained that establishing Maldives Islamic University was a major step taken towards strengthening the hold of Holy Quran and Islam in the Maldivian society. Former Maldivian president and leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, on the other hand, pointed to loss of religious sovereignity being a factor that could cost the country its independence. “The country could lose its independence, not just from an attack from another army, but from wave of extremism that is spreading across the world,” he said. In a press statement released on Monday, he pointed that political instability and influence of major economic powers were other factors that could shake the national unity. “It’s stated in Article 4 of the Maldivian Constitution that all powers of the State stem from the people. And that these powers are maintained through the people. There are national and individual rights and freedom that are guaranteed. I note that the challenges to the independence of the country that have come from some Maldivians, and express sadness over the fact,” said Maumoon. He said that preserving the independance and sovereignity was of the highest national interest.

Will ensure each primary school graduate has read Quran: Maldives President