The Maldivian government Monday dismissed the opinion of a top United Nations (UN) rights panel over the jailing of former defense minister Mohamed Nazim.
Nazim was sentenced to 11 years in prison after he was convicted of weapons possession after police found a hand gun in his residence.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) on Friday had ruled that Nazim's trial was deeply flawed and called on the government for his immediate release.
In its report released on Thursday, the UNWGAD said it had found serious due process violations which, taken together, demonstrate that Nazim had not received a fair trial.
The report noted that the government had failed to give a sufficient explanation to the Adheeb's fingerprints found on the weapon, pointing to the notion that it had in fact been planted.
UNWGAD also expressed concern over the lack of time provided to Nazim to prepare his defence, the limits placed defence witnesses and on his cross-examination of prosecution witnesses by the trial court and the High Court.
"Taking into account all the circumstances of the case, the Working Group considers that an adequate remedy would be to release Col. Nazim immediately and accord him an enforceable right to reparations, in accordance with international law," the report read.
The UN panel has also given the government six months to provide it with information on action taken in follow-up to the panel's recommendations which includes Nazim's release.
Responding to the UN panel report, Maldives foreign ministry in a statement insisted that Nazim's trial s per the relevant laws and regulations governing the criminal justice system in the Maldives.
"Col (Rtd) Nazim was detained during the investigative and trial stages as per the Constitution and the relevant laws of the Maldives. At no stage, and at no time, to date, has Col (Rtd) Nazim lodged a case at a Maldivian court claiming that he was arbitrarily detained during the investigative and trial stages of his case," the statement read.
The statement also urged UNWAGD to encourage Nazim to use domestic procedures to exercise his right to lodge a case to the relevant courts in the Maldives.
Government also accused the panel of ignoring some of the key arguments presented to the panel.
"... but some of the critical details that addresses the allegations concerning fair trial and due process were left out," the statement said.
"It is quite clear that Col (Rtd) Nazim was given adequate time to prepare his defence, his witnesses were accepted by the Courts, and due process followed."
The statement also expressed deep disappointment that the UNWGAD referred to the public commentaries made by some NGOs about political developments in the Maldives published in the popular media, and referred to these NGOs as “human rights experts”.
"The Government expects the WGAD to be scrupulously impartial and independent in its deliberations in examining cases before it, and not be swayed by media reports. "
The statement also called on everyone concerned to respect the verdicts of the courts of the Maldives.
