Maldives' top court must review the landmark ruling on February 1 releasing jailed political leaders to ensure national stability, president elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's spokesperson Mariya Ahmed Didi said Tuesday.
The island nation has been embroiled in fresh political turmoil after the Supreme Court on February 1 ordered the immediate release of jailed political leaders including self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed.
President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on February 5 had declared state of emergency after his last ditch attempt to convince the top court to revoke the order failed, purged the Supreme Court by arresting two judges and the remaining political leaders and ultimately had the order revoked.
Less than a day after the arrest of the two judges, the remaining three judges rescinded its ruling to release the political leaders referring to the concerns raised by president Yameen in the letters he had sent to the chief justice hours before state of emergency was declared.
Mariya in a Tweet on Tuesday urged the top court bench to use their 'inherent jurisdiction' to review the February 1 ruling for the sake of national stability.
"People want national stability," the North-Machchangoalhi lawmaker said.
In addition to Nasheed, the other top political leaders named in the now rescinded order included Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla, former defence minister Mohamed Nazim, former vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor and Gayoom's lawmaker son Faris Maumoon.
The plea to the top court comes after main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had announced Nasheed is set to return to the Maldives from self-imposed exile on November 1.
Nasheed however is yet to petition the top court to review its decision to uphold his terrorism conviction.
