President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has made appointments to the newly-established Office of the Ombudsperson for Transitional Justice. The office was established under the Transitional Justice Act on December 17, 2020.
The appointments are; Abdul Samad Arif as the Chief Ombudsperson; and Jihada Anees and Mariyam Laiza as ombudspersons. Abdul Samad Arif holds a Master’s Degree in Comparative Laws from the International Islamic University of Malaysia. He previously served as the Vice President at the Tax Appeal Tribunal.
Jihada Anees majored in International Maritime Law at the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), Malta, for her Master’s of Laws. She previously worked as the Assistant State Attorney at the Attorney General’s Office.
Mariyam Laiza holds a Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation from Mahidol University, Thailand. She last served as a lecturer at the Maldives National University (MNU).
The Transitional Justice Act aims to end the culture of impunity and strengthen the rule of law, thereby strengthening democratic governance. It sanctions investigations into past wrongdoings by state authorities, heads of agencies, or individuals in power, which resulted in human rights violations.
The Office of the Ombudsperson for Transitional Justice is an autonomous legal identity vested with powers to communicate, file a lawsuit or receive court charges relating to circumstances addressed through the Transitional Justice Act.
