Former vice president Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor has gone incommunicado post the Maldives Supreme court's order for his release among eight other political dissidents, claims lawyers.
Ahmed Adeeb's representing lawyer Moosa Siraj has confirmed he received a brief phone call on the night of the ex-VP's transfer to Maafushi prison on February 1, the night Maldives top-court issued the release order.
Since then Siraj has not been able to establish communication with his client.
"His [Adeeb's] lawyers and family have not been able to reach to him, even after continued requests were made to Maldives Correctional Service they had not arranged for lawyers to meet him let alone disclose us the reason why they are barring us from meeting him," Siraj detailed.
Following the February 1 Supreme Court order hurling Maldives into fresh political strife, it government locked horns with the top-court regarding over the order's legitimacy and arguing the on whether to implement it.
Since then Maldives president had managed to subside the intensifying political unrest by declaring a state of emergency, while rendering more than 20 constitutional rights and several judicature rights.
Immediately after president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom declared the state of emergency, government initiated military crackdown on top-court premises left Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Judge Ali Hameed under arrest.
Since day one of the top-court order citing release of nine political dissidents were issued, president Yameen had spoken about his former confidante and ally Adeeb on several occasions.
During a ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) rally at the north-west end of the capital Male', incumbent president had said that his former vice president "does not reserve any basic rights under Maldivian soil."
Former VP Adeeb's lawyer had expressed concerns regarding the loss of civil and human rights from his client while Siraj stressed on government's outright challenge on Maldives Constitution and rule of law, adding to the worries.
"While president has made public speeches about our client in such a fashion, it is deeply concerning for us that Adeeb has seemingly fallen off the grid without the possibility to establish any means of communication with him," Siraj added.
Siraj urged authorities and even international communities to enforce a proper investigation to clarify Ahmed Adeeb's current situation.
The former vice president was found guilty of his involvement in the president's speedboat bombing incident. He was sentenced to jail for 33 years over multiple charges, while his family claims the state had wrongfully prosecuted Adeeb.
Even the February 1 Supreme Court order had cited the ex-VP's prosecution by state was 'unconstitutional' with the document bearing signatures of all top-court judges bench.
