Introduction 1. The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) was first established under Presidential Decree on December 10, 2003. On August 18, 2005, the Human Rights Commission Act was ratified, thereby making the HRCM the first independent and autonomous statutory body in the Maldives. The amendments brought to the Human Rights Commission Act in August 2006 broadened the mandate and powers of the HRCM, making it compliant with the Paris Principles. With the ratification of the Constitution in August 2008, the HRCM was made an independent and autonomous constitutional body. 2. The HRCM currently holds ‘B’ status accreditation with the International Co‐ordination Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (ICC) and is an Associate Member of the Asia‐Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF). 3. In December 2007, the HRCM was designated as the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and Punishment (OPCAT). 4. The new Constitution ratified in 2008 includes provisions for the separation of powers comprising the Legislature (composed of elected Representatives of the people), the Executive (composed of President, Vice‐ President and Cabinet members) and the Judiciary (composed of Supreme Court, High Court and lower courts). Additionally the Constitution also includes provisions for establishment of Independent Institutions to increase accountability and transparency of the government. 6. After the change of power on February 8, 2012, the President declared that he was forced to resign, thus triggering a series of demonstrations and protests alleging the change of power to be the result of a coup d’état. These protests calling for an early election sometimes resulted in violent crackdown by the police. These allegations led the current government to set up a National Inquiry Commission (NIC) to investigate the change of power. 7. The HRCM is pleased to present its first Shadow Report on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). This submission to the Human Rights Committee has been Chapter: Introduction 5. The first multi party presidential election and the parliamentary elections were held in 2008, and 2009 respectively. The political instability that resulted from the unconstitutional arrest of the Chief Judge of Criminal Court (January 16, 2012) by MNDF on accusations of ethical issues was followed by a series of demonstrations calling for his release and to uphold the rule of law, which led to further political unrest leading to the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7, 2012 and subsequently Vice President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik was sworn in as the President. The human rights concerns pertaining to the arrest was communicated to the UN Special Procedures and the relevant UN Committees by HRCM. 7