Hassan Saeed

Dr. Hassan Saeed (Dhivehi: ޑރ. ޙަސަން ސަޢީދު) was attorney-general of the Maldives from 11 November 2003 to 5 August 2007. He is ran as an idependent candidate for the Presidency of the Maldives, and placed third of six candidates. Dr Hassan Saeed was appointed as the Attorney-General at the age of 33 by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on 11 November 2003.

Education

Educated in Malaysia before earning his Ph.D. at the University of Queensland in Australia, Dr. Saeed had served as the Chief Justice of the Criminal Court before being appointed as Attorney-General.

Political career

New Maldives Trio

A leading member of the New Maldives faction of the governing Maldivian People's Party (DRP), Dr Saeed was elected as the Vice President of DRP in April 2006. The same month he also co-founded with Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, a fellow graduate of the University of Queensland and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmedl.

Dr. Saeed was thrust in to the limelight as President Gayoom began a new term of office committed to a rapid overhaul of the country's archaic governance system and legal framework, shortly after riots rocked the capital in the aftermath of the killing of four persons in prison, discrediting the country's archaic penal and legal system.

Dr. Saeed is among the most ardent supporters of the reform agenda proposed by President Gayoom. Candid and forthright, Dr. Saeed is recognized across political spectrum as one of the emerging leaders of the Maldives.

The Criminal Justice System Action Plan that he produced in March 2005 is a five-year plan to completely overhaul the country's legal framework, penal system and the judiciary. Saeed tabled a new Penal Code before the parliament.

Together with Foreign Minister Shaheed and the Information Minister Mohamed Nasheed, Dr. Saeed is also the chief architect of the alleged Road map for the Reform Agenda published in March 2006 by President Gayoom regime. [ [http://www.minivannews.com/news/news.php?id=3492 Minivan News]

With the defected faction

After 7 years in the cabinet the then Attorney General Dr Hassan Saeed and Justice Minister Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmedl resigned from the government in a massive blow for the reformist credentials of President Gayoom. The resignations were submitted at August 5, 2007 2.30pm, and Saeed and Jameel arrived at Daabaurgue for press conference just after 3.30 pm accusing Gayoom, Hassan Saeed said quote “I have resigned because the reform agenda, which I joined the government for, has failed, and it is not appropriate for me to stay in the cabinet.” [ [http://www.minivannews.com/news/news.php?id=3492 Minivan News] Following his resignation from the Cabinet, Dr. Saeed, along with former Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed and former Justice Minister Mohmamed Jameel Ahmed has setup a corporate and business law firm called "Raajje Chambers".

Presidential Bid

Gayoom's defected New maldives trio with Dr. Hassan Saeed as the front runner contended for 2008 Maldives Presidential Election as a independent candidate, Hassan Saeed as the presidential candidate choose Dr Ahmed Shaheed as his running mate. [ [http://www.minivannews.com/news/news.php?id=4976 Minivan News] At the time of his manifesto launch he stated he was not in debt to big business, has no relatives in politics and is not a member of a political party. He contrasted this to the position of Gayoom and other politicians. His policy platform posed a clear choice.

Islam

A madrasa student and Islamic Scholar, Dr. Saeed is advocate of liberal Islam and is the co-author of the book "Freedom of Religion, Apostasy and Islam", a book that elucidates the position of Muslim scholars on apostasy and practice prevailing in Muslim community. In the book the authors Abdullah Saeed and Hassan Saeed argue that the law of apostasy and its punishment by death in Islamic law conflicts with a variety of fundamentals of Islam. They contend that the early development of the law of apostasy was essentially a religio-political tool, and that there was a large diversity of opinion among early Muslims on the punishment. [cite book | last = Saeed | first = Abdullah | coauthors = Hassan Saeed | year = 2004 | title = Freedom of Religion, Apostasy and Islam | publisher = Ashgate Publishing | id = ISBN 0-7546-3083-8]

Dr. Saeed is also a Barrister-at-Law in the High Court of Australia. He is also an Advocate and Solicitor in the Republic of Maldives.

References