Yameen: Will free everyone jailed pending outcome of trial in a PPM administration

Former president, leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom has stated that everyone jailed pending outcome of trial will be freed within the first 10 days of a party’s administration.  

Speaking at a PPM event held at HA. Ihavandhoo on Saturday night – Yameen underscored that there were many detainees in Maafushi Prison that have been jailed pending the outcome of trial with respect to misdemeanors. He said they included protestors who had taken to streets for peaceful protests against the government, in expressing their views.

“Remanding in custody is fine. However, only those arrested on suspicion of major offenses such as terror attacks, and causing grievous bodily hard to others,” he added.

Yameen said that if a suspect is deemed a danger to society, he or she should be remanded in custody – emphasizing on his belief that people who are not a danger to society should not be remanded in custody.

“Cases are entered to courthouses based on suspicions borne by intelligence reports formulated by the police. Why should that person be kept in custody till the end of trial? If suspects are kept in custody whilst cases are investigated, only suspects in major offenses should be kept in custody,” he had said.

Speaking further, Yameen stressed that the current administration has significantly construed the right to freedom of expression. He added that the government should be chasing real criminals today, instead of female protestors taking part in peaceful protests spearheaded by PPM.

He also alleged that police have been using excessive force to dismantle peaceful protests. Yameen’s allegation comes after the parliament rejected an emergency motion submitted by Faresmaathoda MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef on last Tuesday, claiming that the police used excessive force to dismantle a protest held by the opposition PPM-PNC coalition on Monday advocating for the rights of fishermen.

Yameen also claimed that the real thieves involved in the MMPRC graft scandal were within Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) parliamentarians and leadership. Therewith, he said the government is unable to conduct a transparent investigation and is also hesitant to address the grant scandal. Neverthless, Yameen said that he is not scared to address the issue – and if elected in the next election he will reveal to the public who the real thieves are.

He stressed that the biggest reason for competing in the presidential election is to reveal the real thieves.

“If given the opportunity, I want to show the Maldivian people who the real thieves are and who committed corruption. It is a right of the Maldivian people; they have a right to know. Can label people as thieves. But the real thieves are revealed through investigations,”