The Maldivian government has reiterated its commitment to judicial independence following the dismissal of two Supreme Court justices, stating that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu will not interfere in the judiciary.

In a post shared on 'X' on Saturday, Foreign Minister Dr Abdulla Khaleel emphasized that the dismissals of Justices Mahaz Ali Zahir and Azmiralda Zahir were the result of a constitutionally mandated process and not influenced by the executive branch.

His statement came amid growing international concern over the matter.

This is the case with the recent dismissal of the two Supreme Court Justices by the Parliament, following an investigation by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Parliament voted on Wednesday to remove the two justices after the JSC submitted findings from an inquiry which alleged that the judges had exerted undue influence over a Criminal Court decision involving the arrest and detention of Justice Azmiralda’s husband, Dr Ismail Latheef, a physician at IGMH.

The dismissals have drawn criticism from several international bodies, including the United Nations and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, who raised concerns over due process.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has also accused the government of orchestrating the removals and has communicated its concerns to the international community.

In his post, Dr Khaleel suggested that international statements were based on information provided by the opposition and expressed hope that political leaders would ensure factual representations of events abroad.

Reaffirming the administration’s position, Dr Khaleel said President Dr. Muizzu remains steadfast in upholding the separation of powers and respecting the constitutional authority of the Parliament and Judicial Service Commission.