Gasim’s life in danger, lawyers to rights watchdog

Jumhoory Party (JP) leader and Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim’s legal team has filed a case to Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) over the government’s refusal to grant medical leave for the business magnate to travel to Singapore.

Gasim was admitted in hospital last week hours before he was scheduled to be in court over three separate criminal charges.

The Maamigili lawmaker's family had decided to send him to Singapore after his condition reportedly worsened. The court had reportedly given the green light for Gasim to travel.

However a top party official told Avas that Gasim had been held at the airport saying that the travel ban had not been lifted. He has since been taken to the privately run ADK hospital in the capital Male.

Gasim’s legal team made a statement on Sunday revealing that the lawmaker’s condition has been worsening and that his life was in danger. The statement further noted that the request for Gasim to leave for medical care was repeatedly rejected despite informing the authorities of his condition. The legal team had filed the case to HRCM in order to probe into the government’s refusal for the Maamigili MP’s medical leave.

The statement also noted that Gasim is deprived of his constitutional rights and the right to life, liberty and security under the Constitution and called on to the system to respect his constitutional rights.

The business magnate had three separate charges levied against him, which include, conspiring to overthrow the government, attempting to bribe government lawmakers ahead of the censure motion against parliament speaker Abdullah Maseeh in late March, and undue influence on a state official.

Criminal Court on Tuesday threw out the case against the Maamigili lawmaker Ibrahim after prosecutors failed to show up for the hearing.

Prosecutor General's (PG) office however said the prosecution had in writing, asked the court to delay the hearing for Wednesday which was the reason behind the no-show.

The trial was scheduled after prosecutors, on Wednesday, re-filed charges against opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, two days after the Criminal Court dismissed the case.