Dr. Mohamed Munavvar (Dhivehi: ޑރ. މުޙައްމަދު މުނައްވަރު) was the former Attorney General of Maldives.

Mohamed Munavvar
މުޙައްމަދު މުނައްވަރު
Born
Alma materPatrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia
Known forMP for Addu constituency for 10 years
Other political
affiliations
Maldivian Democratic Party (2007-08)
Attorney General
In office
11 November 1993 – 11 November 2003
PresidentMaumoon Abdul Gayoom
Preceded byAhmed Zahir
Succeeded byHassan Saeed

Early life and education

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Munavvar was born in the island of Meedhoo,[1] his education qualifications include; Master of Laws with Honours (LL.M.), with specialization in International Law, 1985, Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia. He studied maritime law at the Dalhousie University.

Career

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Political career

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Dr. Munavvar served as the attorney general of the Maldives for ten years, until 2003.[2][3]

He also served as the MP of Addu constituency for a decade. He was arrested and jailed on 13 August 2004, allegedly for participating in the pro democracy uprising, also known as Black Friday.[2] On 5 December 2004 he was charged under the article 29 of the Maldives Penal Code "Acts against the State". The charge carries a sentence of imprisonment for life or exile for life or imprisonment or exile for a period between ten years and fifteen years. The opposition and the international community alleged that the charges were politically motivated and subsequently the charges were dropped by the government on 10 December 2004.

Political parties were not allowed to operate in the Maldives previously, but political dissidents of Gayoom's government formed MDP and Munavvar worked closely with them. On 2 June 2007 Dr. Munavvar was elected as the president of MDP, then the largest opposition party in the Maldives. On 13 August 2008 Dr. Munavvar resigned from MDP presidency.

In 2023, he announced that he was planning on running as Independent in the 2023 Maldivian presidential election, but later decided not to contest.[4] He later announced PPM-PNC's candidate, Mohamed Muizzu, in that election.[1]

Lawyer career

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In 2024, he was appointed by the Maldivian government to review the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea's decision that resulted in the loss of a portion of the Exclusive economic zone of Maldives.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Former AG backs PPM-PNC's Dr. Muizzu in presidential race". Avas. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Crackdown in the Maldives". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 17 August 2004. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Maldives president sacks reformists after starting sixth term". The Star (Malaysia). 12 November 2003. Archived from the original on 19 November 2003.
  4. ^ Faaiq, Ali (7 August 2023). "Munawwar decides not to contest presidential election". The Times of Addu. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  5. ^ Waheed, Ijaz (25 January 2024). "AGO Appoints Former AG Dr. Munawwar to Study ITLOS Decision on Maldives EEZ". The Maldives Journal. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  6. ^ Abdulla, Lamya (26 January 2024). "Gov appoints Munavvar and foreign legal team to review sea dispute". The Edition. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
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