Transparency Maldives calls on parliament to reject Abdul Aziz as Information Commissioner

Transparency Maldives on Sunday filed a complaint with Parliament opposing the appointment of Abdul Aziz Jamal Abu Bakr as Information Commissioner, citing his record during his previous term in the post.

The organisation called on Parliament to reject Abdul Aziz’s nomination and reopen the application process for the position.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu submitted Abdul Aziz’s name to Parliament on Sunday. He was the only candidate nominated by the President.

Abdul Aziz, who currently serves as a State Minister at the Ministry of National Share, Heritage and Arts, previously served as the country’s first Information Commissioner from 2014 to 2019.

His nomination is being reviewed by Parliament’s Committee on Independent Institutions.

Applications for the position were opened earlier this month as the five-year term of current Information Commissioner Ahid Rasheed is due to expire on the 6th of next month.

Parliament opened the opportunity for members of the public to submit complaints regarding Abdul Aziz at noon on Sunday. The deadline was set for 6pm the same day, giving the public six hours to make submissions.

In its complaint to the committee, Transparency Maldives said the Right to Information (RTI) Act was not fully implemented during Abdul Aziz’s tenure.

The organisation said its work during the first five years after the RTI Act came into force found that opportunities for citizens to exercise their right to information were restricted.

Transparency Maldives also raised concerns over an information request form introduced during Abdul Aziz’s term, saying it was designed in a manner that hindered access to information. The organisation said the form was introduced without addressing concerns it had raised over the process.

It also noted that public hearings required under the law were first conducted only 12 days before Abdul Aziz left office.

According to Transparency Maldives, implementation of the RTI Act and access to information improved after Abdul Aziz’s term ended and another commissioner took office.

The organisation said public confidence in the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM) and the RTI system had since increased, warning that Abdul Aziz’s reappointment could reverse some of that progress.

“This organisation does not view Abdul Aziz Jamal Abu Bakr as the most capable person for this position,” Transparency Maldives said in its complaint.

It said access to information plays a role in addressing corruption and institutional problems and called for the selection process to be reopened.

Former Transparency Maldives Executive Director Aiman Rasheed also criticised the six-hour period provided for the public to submit complaints.

Aiman cited ICOM statistics to argue that the RTI Act was not implemented to its intended extent during Abdul Aziz’s tenure.

According to figures shared by Aiman, the number of non-disclosure cases handled by the office remained low between 2014 and 2019. From 2017 to 2019, the number of cases reviewed each year ranged from seven to 41.

The number began increasing from 2021, according to the figures, rising from 309 cases to 636 at present.