Maldives Human Rights Commission members summoned to court after controversial report

Following the publishing of a controversial report, members of the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) have been summoned to the Supreme Court on Thursday, local media reported.

A member of HRCM had told local media outlet Haveeru, commission members were served papers summoning them to court on Thursday afternoon, but the date had been changed to next Monday, upon request by HRCM.

Members of HRCM were asked to attend Supreme Court individually, at separate times, on Sept. 22, said the HRCM member.

It is not yet clear as to why HRCM members had been summoned.

HRCM had, earlier this week, stated in their Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Report submitted to United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), that Maldives judiciary is "controlled and influenced by the Supreme Court weakening judicial powers vested in other superior and lower courts."

It also said that Supreme Court had issued a circular ordering all state institutions not to communicate to individual courts regarding any information related to judiciary except through Supreme Court, and that the HRCM was facing difficulty in gathering information due to lack of cooperation.