Yameen's appeal stalls again as 2 judges on leave

Two High Court judges hearing the appeal against the 11-year jail sentence handed to former President Abdulla Yameen have taken leave, halting the appeal again.

Yameen's lawyers have also expressed concern over the speed at which the appeal trials were progressing. The last time the case was stalled was at the request of the Prosecutor General's Office.

However, the case has now been delayed again after two judges of the bench hearing the case went on leave.

It is unclear who the judges are and when they will return to work.

When asked about the matter, High Court spokesperson Ameen Faisal said the court would not disclose information about any judge's leave as it was personal information.

“And I dont believe that the trial is stalled or not going at the pace it should be,” he said, noting that eight hearings have already been held in the case, which was filed in March.

On the other hand, Yameen's lawyers believe the trial was "deliberately delayed" at the direct request of the prosecutor's office.

"The judges' leave was planned long ago. The trial was delayed before the leave because the hearings were canceled at the request of the prosecutor's office," Abdullah Shiyaz, a member of Yameen's team of lawyers, said.

The prosecutor's office has previously denied such allegations. The office has recently said:

The last hearing in the case was held on 26th last month.