President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has today appointed Mr Abbas Faiz as the Special Envoy to the Government of Maldives to monitor the investigation, prosecution and trial of the terrorist attack against Speaker of Parliament and former President Mohamed Nasheed. The President’s decision was published in directive 006-2021 released by the President’s Office today.
The Special Envoy is mandated to ensure that all stages of the investigation, prosecution and trial of the alleged perpetrators, and any related and necessary inquiries, comply with international best practice and national laws to ensure public confidence in the integrity of these processes. Mr Faiz oversight of the ongoing investigation will be conducted within the parameters set by the Prosecutor General.
Abbas Faiz, a British national, has more than 30 years of experience monitoring the human rights situation in South Asia, including the Maldives. He was previously employed at Amnesty International as the most senior advisor to the Secretary-General on the countries in his brief and has worked as a Lecturer in Law in the Schools of Law, Essex University, UK, for the past three years. He has also published articles on human rights in the Guardian, New Statesman, the Lancet and in several South Asian newspapers, including several papers on the human rights situation in the Maldives.
For the duration of the engagement, the Special Envoy will be stationed at the President’s Office. The President’s Office will provide all support and administrative assistance sought by the Special Envoy.
