President Muizzu is under fire after serious claims that his government is meddling with the independence of the Maldives judiciary. A case about the suspension of three Supreme Court judges has been sent to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, the European Union (EU), and the Commonwealth of Nations, raising concerns about democracy in the country.
The case was filed by Husnu al Suood, a former Supreme Court Justice who resigned on March 4, 2025. Suood stepped down to protest what he calls “unconstitutional influence” by President Muizzu on the judiciary. In his complaint, Suood said he and two other judges—Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir—were suspended on February 26, 2025, by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). He claims this was done to stop the Supreme Court from hearing a case about changing the constitution to remove parliamentary seats for lawmakers who switch parties, known as “floor crossing.”
Suood’s submission accuses the government of threatening judges and pushing illegal changes to weaken the judiciary. He says the Attorney General, Ahmed Usham, sent someone to warn the judges, including Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan, that their ethics would be investigated if they didn’t obey. Suood also pointed out that the government passed a law in the People’s Majlis to cut the number of Supreme Court judges from seven to five, a move he says was meant to control the court.
The trouble started when the JSC suspended the three judges, claiming the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was looking into criminal cases against them. But no details about these cases have been shared, leaving many to question if this was just an excuse to silence the judges. At the time of their suspension, the Supreme Court was about to decide on a temporary order to protect lawmakers’ seats until the constitutional amendment case was settled.
Suood also accused President Muizzu of appointing loyal political allies to the JSC to influence its decisions. He says this is part of a bigger pattern of interference since Muizzu took power. The former justice shared these concerns not only with the UN, EU, and Commonwealth but also with the World Bank and IMF, hoping to draw global attention to the issue.
Meanwhile, the government is trying to change the Courts Act with a bill called the Fifth Amendment. President Muizzu sent it back to the People’s Majlis for reconsideration, and instead of rejecting it, lawmakers voted 57-0 to send it to the Judiciary Committee for more review. Critics say this is another attempt to delay justice and control the courts.
The suspension of the three judges and Suood’s resignation have sparked outrage among lawyers and citizens who see this as an attack on the rule of law. While Suood has left his post, the JSC is still investigating Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir, leaving the Supreme Court weaker and raising fears about its ability to stand up to the government.
If the judiciary can’t work freely, how can the people trust their leaders?
