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Locals petition JP leader Gasim's release

Locals of Alif Dhaal Atoll Maamigili have begun a petition to free opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) leader and lawmaker of the constituent who was arrested over allegations of attempting to bribe fellow lawmakers and making incitements to overthrow the government.

Councillor of Alif Dhaal Maamigili, Junaid Ibrahim stated that locals refuse to believe Gasim was arrested over committing any crimes and therefore demand for immediate release of the leader by the submitting the petition to the parliament.

He added that locals of Maamigili and Gasim’s supporters are expected to sign the petition.

Junaid had stated Gasim's arrest is questionable, commenting that the locals have claimed the arrest of Maamigili lawmaker was biased as other lawmakers had earlier confessed to having accepted bribes whereas Gasim's arrest is justified only by a statement he made ahead of the censure motion against parliament’s speaker Abdullah Maseeh.

The business magnate face three separate charges which include, conspiring to overthrow the government, attempting to bribe government lawmakers and undue influence on a state official.

MP Gasim has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In the last hearing of opposition Jumhoory Party’s leader’s case, the criminal court had convened a three-judge bench to hear his case. 

MP Gasim was first arrested on April 6 over the bribery allegations; however, the high court freed him days later after ruling that he was arrested in violence of due procedure.

He was arrested after the criminal court issued an arrest warrant, on direct request of the police.

However, according to parliament rules of procedure, unless from a scene of a crime, a lawmaker can only be arrested under a warrant from a superior court on direct request from the chief prosecutor.

Gasim is currently in remand in Dhoonidhoo island.

The opposition coalition, which now JP is a part of, has claimed that the government is descending into autocracy and has been heavily critical of its “crackdown” on the opposition.