Maldives rejects world community's criticism of its judiciary

The Maldives today described criticism from the world community as "negative external reactions" after it sacked the country's top poll officials.
The reaction after the Commonwealth, Britain, the US and some other nations criticised the Maldivian Supreme Court's ruling to sack Chief Elections Commissioner Fuwad Thowfeek and his deputy Ahmed Fayaz.
The Maldives president's office, in a statement, said the "negative external reactions" amounted to undermining the country's constitution and the process of strengthening democracy.
"The Government of Maldives is fully committed to ensuring the constitutionally guaranteed independence, professionalism, and integrity of the Elections Commission."
The Maldives also "calls on its international partners to respect the Constitution and laws of the Maldives and the national democratic processes", it said.

On March 9, the Supreme Court found members of the poll panel guilty of contempt of court. It removed Thowfeek and handed him a six-moth jail term, suspended for three years.

Earlier, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said: "The separation of powers is a fundamental political value of the Commonwealth, to which all member states are committed... Actions that undermine the independence of an elections commission have a negative effect on democracy as a whole."
In Washington, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki described the Supreme Court's order to sack Thowfeek as an "unprecedented expansion of judicial powers".
In London, British foreign office minister Hugo Swire said, "I am deeply disappointed at the Maldives Supreme Court's decision to sentence the Chair and Vice Chair of the Maldives Election Commission for contempt of court, and to dismiss them from the Election Commission.