Qasim submits suit to Criminal Court claiming arrest “unlawful”

Jailed leader of Jumhoory Party (JP), Maamingili MP Qasim Ibrahim’s lawyers have submitted a suit to Criminal Court claiming his arrest was unlawful.

The case was submitted to court this Monday but it is not yet certain whether it has been accepted to the court or not.

The case was filed in reference to 13 (a) of law on immunity to parliamentarians.

Article 13 (a) of law on immunity:

If a parliamentarian needs to be jailed for an investigation into a criminal offense; unless the parliamentarian was arrested perpetrating a criminal offense, it needs to be done under court order from a superior court or a court of a much higher jurisdiction. And such an order will be issued if the Prosecutor General’s grants the request of an investigator for such an order.

Qasim’s lawyers said the order for his arrest was requested from Criminal Court by the police. And that it was unlawful on part of the police.

Qasim’s lawyers have also filed the case with Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM).