Moving From Condemnation to Action The Case for the European Union to Impose Restrictive Measures on Serious Human Rights Abusers in the Maldives Prepared By: Jared Genser1 [email protected] +1 202 466 3069 26 February 2018 1 Jared Genser serves as international counsel to former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed. In addition to being qualified to practice law in the United States, he is also a solicitor of England & Wales. Perseus Strategies would like to thank Elise Baranouski, C. Benjamin Brooks, Mary Brooks, Sarah Gledhill, Csaba Gondola, Julia Kuperminc, Juan Pablo Miramontes, Kate O’Sullivan, Samuel Ritholtz, Nicole Santiago, and Safia Sayed for their support. Table of Contents I.! Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 2! II.! Human Rights Abuses in the Maldives ........................................................................................................... 5! A.! Enforced Disappearances ........................................................................................................................... 5! B.! Arbitrary Arrest and Detention ................................................................................................................... 7! C.! Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ........................................... 16! D.! The Death Penalty .................................................................................................................................... 21! E.! Restrictions on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms .................................................................................. 23! F. ! Culture of Impunity .................................................................................................................................. 30! G. ! Interference with Rule of Law in the Maldives ....................................................................................... 33! III.! Condemnation by the European Union and Member States ....................................................................... 39! IV.! Sanctions by the European Union ............................................................................................................... 43! A. ! Human Rights-Based Financial Sanctions .............................................................................................. 43! B. Process and Implementation of E.U. Sanctions ..................................................................................... 45! C. Relevant Examples ................................................................................................................................ 47! 1.! Belarus ................................................................................................................................................... 47! 2.! Burundi .................................................................................................................................................. 52! 3.! Venezuela .............................................................................................................................................. 53! 4.! Zimbabwe .............................................................................................................................................. 55! D.! Analogizing of Examples to the Maldives ............................................................................................... 57! 1.! The Maldives and Belarus ..................................................................................................................... 58! 2.! The Maldives and Burundi .................................................................................................................... 58! 3.! The Maldives and Venezuela ................................................................................................................ 59! 4.! The Maldives and Zimbabwe ................................................................................................................ 60! E.! Blueprint of Council Decision for the Maldives ....................................................................................... 61! Conclusion: Call for Action .................................................................................................................................. 62! ANNEX – MODEL OF POTENTIAL COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION DECISION ON RESTRICTIVE MEASURES ............................................................................................................................... 63! 1 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Maldives, a nation that comprises nearly 1,200 small islands2 in the middle of the Indian Ocean well-known for its white sand beaches and beautiful blue seas, is in turmoil under President Abdulla Yameen and his repressive regime. Officials from the European Union (E.U.) have publicly criticized Yameen’s government and its widespread human rights abuses, but further action is required, as Yameen remains intransigent even in the face of global condemnation. This report recommends the Council of the European Union adopt a Council decision and regulation imposing human rights-based sanctions in response to the crisis in the Maldives, including targeted asset freezes and travel bans, for those implicated in major human rights abuses in the Maldives. The Maldives has long been one of Asia’s poorest nations, and was ranked 105 out of 188 countries on the Human Development Index in 2015, as published by the United Nations Development Programme.3 But poverty is far from the only concern for the more than 390,000 people4 who reside in the Maldives. In 2008, the country held its first democratic elections, in which Mohamed Nasheed, a longtime champion of human rights, defeated President Maumoon Gayoom, ending his 30-years in office. Unfortunately, the respite was short-lived, as President Nasheed was pushed out of office in a coup in 2012. In a subsequent election marred by numerous irregularities and interference by the Maldivian Supreme Court, former President Gayoom’s half-brother Abdulla Yameen ultimately prevailed over President Nasheed. Yameen remains in power today. The past four years under Yameen’s rule have been marked by an increasingly broad range of human rights abuses, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, enforced disappearance, harassment, and intimidation of human rights defenders, dissidents, and others critical of the regime.5 The political opposition and civil society groups face an environment of perpetual fear.6 Yameen and his allies are able to perpetuate their widespread assault on liberty and security, unfettered by domestic law in light of Yameen’s interference in and control over the legislature and judiciary, which has resulted in impunity for human rights abusers who align themselves with Yameen.7 Over the past two weeks, the situation has rapidly escalated, necessitating urgent action. On 1 February 2018, in a dramatic reversal of its previous support facilitating Yameen’s repression, the Supreme Court of the Maldives issued a decision that ordered the 2 Maldives, THE WORLD FACTBOOK, last update Jan. 3, 2018, available at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mv.html [hereinafter Maldives World Factbook]. 3 Human Development Report 2015, UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, 2015, available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI. 4 Maldives World Factbook, supra note 2. 5 Maldives: State of Emergency an Alarming Development in Continuing Crackdown on Human Rights, AMNESTY INT’L, Nov. 4, 2015, available at http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/maldives-state-of- emergency-an-alarming-development-in-continuing-crackdown-on-human-rights. 6 Amnesty Says Human Rights in Maldives Deteriorating, AL JAZEERA, Apr. 23, 2015, available at http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/amnesty-human-rights-maldives-deteriorating-150423141730292.html. 7 Ahmed Naish, President Warns Maldivians to Be Wary of ‘Traitorous Plotters’, MALDIVES INDEPENDENT, Nov. 3, 2015, available at http://maldivesindependent.com/politics/president-warns-maldivians-to-be-wary-of- traitorous-plotters-119298. 2 reversal of the convictions of nine political prisoners, including Nasheed, and the reinstatement of 12 Members of Parliament who had previously been declared by the Maldives Election Commission as stripped of their seats for having tried to join the opposition.8 In response, Attorney General Mohamed Anil, Chief of Defense General Ahmed Shiyam, and Commissioner of Police Abdulla Nawaz added that if the Supreme Court declared Yameen removed from office they would advice the military and police not to enforce such an order.9 Two of the 12 MPs, Abdulla Sinan and Ilham Ahmed, were arrested after flying back to the Maldives after months in exile.10 In addition, the police announced they were investigating the Chief Justice and another Justice of the Supreme Court on allegations of bribery.11 Furthermore, on 5 February Yameen announced a state of emergency for 15 days,12 effectively declaring de facto martial law.13 The state security forces have assumed extraordinary powers and are being used to intimidate remaining justices on the Supreme Court bench. Within hours of the declaration of a state of emergency, two justices of the Supreme Court, the chief judicial administrator, and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (1978–2008) were arrested and taken into police custody.14 On 6