High Court Overturns Life Sentences in Blogger Yameen Rasheed Murder Case

The High Court has overturned the life sentences imposed on two men convicted of the murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed, and ordered the Criminal Court to review the case.

In a verdict released on today, the High Court of the Maldives unanimously ruled that the convictions and sentences of Ismail Haisham Rasheed and Ahmed Zihan Ismail should be reconsidered. The court referred the matter back to the Criminal Court of Maldives for review.

The High Court also ordered a review of the cases of two other defendants, Ismail Rasheed and Mohamed Dhifran, who had previously been acquitted by the Criminal Court.

Yameen Rasheed was murdered in 2017. The state charged six individuals in connection with the killing: Ismail Haisham Rasheed, Ahmed Zihan Ismail, Mohamed Dhifran, Hassan Shifaz, Thaif Ismail Rasheed and Hussain Ziyad.

In January 2022, the Criminal Court found Haisham and Zihan guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The remaining four defendants were acquitted. The prosecution later appealed the acquittals of Ismail Rasheed and Dhifran, while Haisham and Zihan appealed their convictions and sentences.

In its ruling, the High Court instructed the Criminal Court to re-examine the evidence, including the testimony of a secret witness, which was a key issue raised during the appeals process.

During Thursday’s hearing, prosecutors requested that Haisham and Zihan be remanded into custody. However, the High Court judges declined to issue a detention order at this stage.