Malé, Maldives – The Supreme Court of Maldives today overruled the High Court decision to dismiss terrorism charges against Mohamed Ameen, Kariyyavilla, Maadhadu, Fuvahmulah.
The High Court negated the charges against Ameen after the state failed to file charges within the assigned duration on 16 September 2021. However, the High Court released a MoniCon order restricting Ameen from travelling outside the capital city Malé.
The High Court decided that since Ameen was remanded under the Criminal Procedure Code (Act No. 12/2016), the state must adhere to the penal court guidelines when filing the case. The state had filed the case after the statute of limitation stated in the penal code but within the duration prescribed in the Prevention of Terrorism Act (No. 32/2015).
Supreme Court today ruled that in anti-terrorism cases, although a suspect may be arrested under the Criminal Procedure Code (Act No. 12/2016), the prosecution will be based on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (No. 32/2015).
While the High Court verdict stopped the Criminal Court trial for the defendant Ameen, the Supreme Court ruled that the trial may continue from the point that it was cancelled by the High Court.
The Supreme Court hearing was presided by Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan accompanied by Justice Aisha Shujoon and Justice Husnu al Suood.
Ameen was arrested in October 2019 over allegations of spreading radical extremist ideologies and recruiting and dispatching fighters to other countries.
Mohamed Ameen is the first Maldivian on the terrorist list publicized by America’s Department of the Treasuries Office of Foreign Affairs Control (OFAC). According to the OFAC bio, Ameen has assisted, sponsored, provided financial, material, and technological support for goods and services in support of ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) as observed from April 2019.
