Justice Husnu Al-Suood resigned from the Supreme Court, accusing President Mohamed Muizzu of intimidating justices and undermining judicial independence. This bombshell comes just days after the government suspended three justices—including Suood—on February 26, right before an important court decision about laws that could affect Muizzu’s power. It’s a clear sign that the president is trying to control the courts, and that’s terrible news for democracy.
When Muizzu ran for president in 2023, he promised to keep the courts free and fair. But his actions tell a different story. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which many say he influences, suspended Chief Justice Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, Justice Aishath Shafeega, and Justice Husnu Al-Suood without a clear reason—just vague talk of “ethical misconduct.” This happened days before the Supreme Court was set to rule on anti-defection laws that could weaken Muizzu’s grip on parliament. People on X and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) are calling it a “judicial coup”—a sneaky way to stop the court from ruling against him.
It doesn’t stop there. Last month, Muizzu’s government cut the Supreme Court from seven justices to five, a move the Maldives Bar Council says breaks the constitution. His party, the People’s National Congress (PNC), also got a supermajority in parliament partly by disqualifying opposition MPs—decisions backed by courts that now seem under his control. Suood, a respected figure who helped write the Maldives’ constitution and served as Attorney General, said in his resignation letter today that Muizzu’s administration demanded favorable rulings. This isn’t about fixing the system; it’s about owning it.
Courts are supposed to be independent. They keep the government in check and protect people’s rights. When Muizzu messes with them, he’s breaking that balance. Suood’s resignation—following his suspension and a history of clashing with power, like when he was banned from practicing law in 2018 for criticizing the government—shows how bad it’s gotten. He called this a “direct assault” on the judiciary, and the timing backs him up: it’s happening amid a medicine shortage crisis and just after the court was shrunk. If the Supreme Court can’t stand up to Muizzu, who will?
The Maldives has been here before. In 2018, a past president jailed justices who didn’t agree with him, causing chaos. Muizzu, who worked with that president, seems to be using quieter tricks—suspending justices instead of jailing them, shrinking the court instead of breaking it outright. The MDP warns democracy is slipping away. People don’t trust the courts anymore, and that’s dangerous. Without fair courts, elections can be rigged, and rights can disappear. Everyday problems—like the medicine shortage Muizzu blames on a “medical mafia”—get worse because no one can hold him accountable.
The Maldives is at a breaking point. Muizzu’s control over the courts threatens the democracy people fought for since 2008. Justice Suood’s resignation today is a loud warning—he’s been a fighter, suspended as a lawyer in 2018 for speaking out, and now he’s quit to protest Muizzu’s bullying. The opposition, lawyers, and regular people need to push back. Outside help from places like the UN might nudge things, but the real change has to come from inside.
If Muizzu gets away with this, the Maldives won’t just be a pretty vacation spot—it’ll be a place where democracy quietly dies. The courts are the last line of defense. With Suood gone, they’re weaker than ever. The fight isn’t over, but it’s getting harder.
