URGENT ACTION

SERIOUS HEALTH CONCERNS FOR MALDIVIAN POLITICIAN
Ahmed Adeeb, former Maldivian Vice President, suffers from several ongoing health conditions. Arrested in 2015, for what was believed to be politically motivated charges, his convictions were overturned last year and other charges against him were dropped in July 2020. Local media outlets have reported that the Prosecutor General submitted the case for appeal and accordingly, Adeeb was taken into custody again on 24 July, following an order by High Court, raising further concerns about his wellbeing. 

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

Mr. Ibrahim Solih
President of Maldives
The President’s Office
Boduthakurufaanu Magu, 
 Malé 20113, Maldives
Email:  info@po.gov.mv  

Dear President Solih,

I’m writing to express serious concern about the situation of former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, who is again facing trial, for charges that were recently deemed unlawful. Suffering from a number of serious health issues, including glaucoma, kidney stones, sleep apnoea, internal cysts, and syncopal attacks, I am gravely concerned for his health and wellbeing. 

While the Criminal Court dropped all charges against Adeeb on 14 July 2020, following an order by the High Court on 24 July, Adeeb is once again being detained, with the future trial date as yet unknown.

Given that Adeeb’s medical concerns are unable to be treated in the Maldives, his legal team first filed a request with the Maldives Correctional Services in 2016 to allow him to travel abroad to seek specialised treatment. That, and every subsequent request for additional treatment, during the previous administration, was denied. The current administration allowed Adeeb to travel abroad to seek specialised treatment once as medical specialists advised since the necessary treatment was and still is not available in the Maldives. 

As you will be aware, failing to provide adequate medical care to prisoners is a violation of the Maldives’ international human rights obligations. As a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Maldives is legally obliged to respect, promote, protect and fulfil “the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.” The Prison and Parole Act of Maldives also guarantees adequate healthcare for prisoners. The severity of the situation needs to be emphasised, especially due to prisons being considered dangerous hotspots for the spread of COVID-19. 

Therefore, I urge you to ensure that Ahmed Adeeb is granted prompt, regular and unrestricted access to medical care on request or as necessary.

Yours sincerely, 

Additional information
Ahmed Adeeb was the Vice President of the Maldives from July 2015 – November 2015 when he was removed by no confidence motion from the People's Majlis [Parliament of Maldives]. He was arrested a few days later for allegedly attempting to assassinate the then President of the Maldives, possession of weapons and seven other charges over financial embezzlement. He was sentenced to combined 33 years in total for attempting to assassinate the former President and possession of weapons. He was kept in isolation for three years during this incarceration. Adeeb was released from custody in 2019, when the Supreme Court overturned his convictions and the Criminal Court dropped other charges against him in July 2020. 
Adeeb raised concerns about his own health after he was denied medical care in prison in 2016. According to medical specialists, the necessary treatment was and still is not available in the Maldives, and he needs to be taken abroad to be treated. Since he was taken into custody on 24 July 2020, Adeeb is being kept in a cell without access to his bipap machine prescribed for sleep apnea. This raises a concern that his other medical conditions will be ignored by the authorities which would put his health and potentially his life at risk. 
Rule 24 of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) stipulate, ‘The provision of health care for prisoners is a State responsibility’ and failure to adhere to this shows the government’s lack of respect for the international human rights law, domestic law, and basic human decency. 
Currently, Adeeb is held without access to family or lawyers due to COVID-19 related restrictions on visitors.  
The arrest of Adeeb in 2015 occurred within the context of several other criminal cases against opposition leaders and other political opponents of the former President Yameen. The most high-profile was the conviction of former President Mohamed Nasheed on terrorism charges following a deeply flawed trial in March 2015. There were other cases that followed during the coup in February 2018, all of whom have since been released. 

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: [English, Dhivehi]

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 29 September 2020
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Mr Ahmed Adeeb (he/him)

Additional TARGETS

Judicial Service Commission - admin@jsc.gov.mv hisaan@hisaansafa.com 

And copies to:
Her Excellency Dr Farahanaz Faizal  
High Commission of the Republic of Maldives
22 Nottingham Place W1U 5NJ
020 7224 2135
Fax 020 7224 2157
info@maldiveshighcommission.uk 
www.maldiveshighcommission.uk