Democrats call for justice on 4th anniversary of Nasheed's attack

The Democrats have called for renewed efforts to ensure justice in the case of the attempted assassination of former President Mohamed Nasheed, which took place on 6 May 2021 while he was serving as Speaker of Parliament.

Nasheed sustained serious injuries in the bombing and underwent a 16-hour surgery at ADK Hospital, followed by treatment overseas. Four years after the incident, the party stated that no individual has been convicted as the mastermind behind the attack.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the party noted that although Adham Ahmed Rasheed, one of the accused, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 23 years in prison, the cases of the other suspects remain unresolved. The party also raised concern that no state institution has acted upon additional information that Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon told Parliament he had received in March last year.

The statement read, “We reiterate our call for a thorough investigation into the assassination attempt on President Mohamed Nasheed and the search for those behind it. We call on the authorities to bring justice to him.”

The party described the bombing as a premeditated and organised terrorist act, noting that it was carried out while Nasheed held the position of Speaker. The party referred to an inquiry report that stated intelligence agencies had received information on three earlier attempts on Nasheed’s life prior to the 2021 attack.

The legal proceedings have faced disruptions. The case was initially assigned to a three-judge bench at the Criminal Court. Judge Adam withdrew from the case after reportedly facing threats and intimidation. Justice Hassan Saeed, who was later appointed to the bench, also stepped away. The panel has since been dissolved, and the case is currently being heard by Judge Sofwath Habeeb.

Details of the ongoing court cases include:

The Democrats said the delay in concluding the case undermines the legal process and called for accountability.