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| Tuesday, 12 October 2004 |
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Male, Maldives - Oct. 10 (Sunday) - President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom announced that he was lifting with immediate effect the State of Emergency that was declared on August 13 in Male and the surrounding areas, states a press release issued by the Maldivian High Commission in Sri Lanka. In a statement following the announcement, the Chief Government Spokesman Dr. Ahmed Shaheed said: The State of Emergency was introduced following civil unrest and has been maintained because of significant security concerns in Male' and the surrounding areas. Although these security concerns have not wholly diminished, the President has consistently maintained his desire to lift the State of Emergency at the earliest opportunity. The Government believes there are now sufficient measures in place for it to be able to do so." Dr. Shaheed continued: "The investigations into the incidents of 12th and 13th August have now reached their final stages. In line with the normal provisions contained within the criminal justice system, all those people currently in detention will either face charges or will be released shortly. It is expected that charges against some of them will range from the attempted murder of two police constables to serious offences against the State'. "A number of rights and laws that were suspended following the declaration of the State of Emergency were reinstated on Thursday and, with the repealing of Emergency the remaining rights and laws under suspension have also been reinstated. The Government is determined to push forward the President's 9th June reform agenda, with the First Sitting of the People's Special Majlis scheduled to resume on Tuesday the 12th of October". With the repealing of Emergency, the right granted by Article 15 (1) (d) of the Constitution, which states that persons charged with an offence cannot be kept in detention for a period exceeding seven days except as provided by law (the requirement for judicial approval) and the right granted by article 20 of the Constitution which states that letters, messages, telephonic conversations shall be inviolable and that letters, messages, telephonic conversations and other means of communication shall not be intercepted, read, listened to or divulged except as expressly provided by law, have both been reinstated. The right granted by Act no. 5/78 on procedures for detention or arrest of persons for periods in excess of 7 days has also been reinstated. On October 5th the Ministry of Home Affairs had announced that the case files of key persons involved in the incidents of 12th and 13th August would be forwarded to the Attorney General's Office very soon for prosecution by the State. |
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