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Detained Ex-Maldivian Def. Min.’s family calls for his release
View(s):Family members of former Maldivian Defence Minister Col (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim this week called on the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the international community to intervene and secure the release of Mr Nazim, who has been under house arrest for the past 20 months.
The family members-backed Human Rights (HR) activists and lawyers addressing a press conference in Colombo, said Mr Nazim was being held under what they called “fabricated charges” of possessing a pistol.
Adam Azim, brother of Mr Nazim said that, despite the availability of fresh evidence that the weapon did not belong to Nazim, the local courts there were not willing to consider the evidence.
Independent HR Consultant, Abbas Faiz, formerly a senior Amnesty International Researcher on South Asia, said there is a crackdown on opposition politicians in the Maldives by incumbent President Abdulla Yameen and his government.
He said they were appealing to the international community to bring pressure on the Maldivian government to release Mr Nazim, who is being held after an ‘unfair’ trial.
Member of Parliament, Ali Hussain, said, despite using all local legal resources, they have not been successful and therefore, were now calling upon the international community to take up the case.
Mr Nazim’s family members and lawyers were also due to brief the diplomatic community about the detention.