UN Human Rights Chief slams Maldives Supreme Court for interfering in presidential elections

Thursday, 31 October 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

United Nations human rights chief yesterday slammed the Maldives Supreme Court for excessively interfering in the presidential elections, which have been thwarted twice, in a statement.

She also called on any newly elected president to immediately reform the judiciary and safeguard democracy in the Indian Ocean group of islands. “I am alarmed that the Supreme Court of the Maldives is interfering excessively in the presidential elections, and in so doing is subverting the democratic process and violating the right of Maldivians to freely elect their representatives,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay said. The Supreme Court annulled the first round of presidential elections held on 7 September citing irregularities in the process, despite national and international observers saying the elections were free and fair. A second attempt to hold polls on 19 October was also halted after Police blocked the distribution of ballot boxes insisting Supreme Court guidelines had not been followed. «The court also imposed on the Elections Commission an onerous set of guidelines for the conduct of the election, which will be difficult to satisfy,» Pillay said. The statement also noted that there have been longstanding concerns about the independence and impartiality of the judiciary in the Maldives, which both the High Commissioner and the Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, addressed during official visits to the country in 2011 and 2013. «I am normally the first to defend the independence of the judiciary, but this also carries responsibilities,» the High Commissioner said. «Judges should act in accordance with the principles of impartiality, propriety, equality and due diligence, as reflected in the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of Judiciary, the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct, and Maldives› own judicial code of conduct.» Pillay also observed that the Supreme Court had threatened to charge lawyers and media with contempt of court for challenging the court›s decisions. She also expressed concern about the government›s threats to dissolve civil society organizations for criticizing the judiciary, and the reactivation of old cases to arrest opposition MPs or bar them from Parliament. «The Supreme Court appears set on undermining other independent institutions, stifling criticism and public debate, and depriving litigants of the legal representation of their choice,» Pillay said. «The Government is also taking arbitrary action against its opponents to prevent their participation in parliamentary debates at this critical juncture.» The High Commissioner also expressed alarm about death threats and other intimidation directed at members and staff of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives and civil society actors, as well as an arson attack earlier this month on an opposition television station. Maldives will face a Constitutional void if a new president does not take over on 11 November. Fresh dates for polling have been announced with the first round on 9 November and a second round run-off, if necessary, tabled for 16 November. Maldives has been rocked by political instability since its president was ousted from power in February 2012.