The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the main opposition group, has sharply criticized the ruling party’s decision to remove Hussain Shameem from his position as Prosecutor General. Shameem, who had previously submitted his resignation, was dismissed by Parliament after it was revealed that the President’s Office had not received his resignation letter.
The dismissal came after a parliamentary session where the Progressive National Congress (PNC), which holds a majority, voted to remove Shameem. The MDP contends that the process was flawed, pointing out that the Judiciary Committee’s meeting, which discussed Shameem’s dismissal, did not adhere to the proper procedures. According to the MDP, meetings should only be confidential if they meet specific criteria outlined in the Parliament’s rules.
The party accused the Judiciary Committee’s chairperson of improperly declaring the meeting confidential, arguing that it lacked transparency. They were also critical of the decision to keep the session private despite Shameem’s request for a public hearing to address the allegations against him.
Shameem had been appointed by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in 2019. In January 2024, current President Muizzu asked Shameem to resign, a request that Shameem refused. Shortly after, he was attacked, an incident that heightened tensions around his role. The MDP suggests that the PNC’s move to remove Shameem is an attempt to replace him with someone more aligned with their interests.
