Ahmed Shaheed
| Dr. Ahmed Shaheed | |
|---|---|
| United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 17 June 2011 |
|
| Minister for Foreign Affairs of Maldives | |
| In office 12 November 2008 – 10 December 2010 1 |
|
| President | Mohamed Nasheed |
| Preceded by | Abdulla Shahid |
| Succeeded by | Ahmed Naseem |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs of Maldives | |
| In office 14 July 2005 – 21 August 2007 |
|
| President | Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom |
| Preceded by | Fathulla Jameel |
| Succeeded by | Abdulla Shahid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1964 |
| Nationality | Maldivian |
| Political party | Maldives Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Leela Ahmed [1] |
| Children | 6 |
| Alma mater | University of Aberystwyth, (BSc) University of Queensland, (IR) |
| Religion | Islam |
| ^ Resigned from office on 24 June 2010 during the En-masse cabinet resignation. Reinstated on 7 July 2010. | |
 |
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Ahmed Shaheed (born 1964) is a Maldivian politician. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from November 2008 to December 2010; previously, he had served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for two years, from 14 July 2005 until August 20, 2007.
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[edit] Political career
Shaheed is a career diplomat. Prior to being appointed Foreign Minister, Shaheed served as the first ever Chief Government Spokesperson of Maldives, a ministerial position within the President's Secretariat.
In July 2005, Shaheed used his position as Government Spokesperson to reject the condemnation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Chief Justice of the Maldives. The Opposition MDP accused him of being the chief "spin doctor" for President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom while independent human rights NGOs such as Hama Jamiyya hail him as a champion of human rights.
He is one of the co-founders of New Maldives, a group within the former regime who spearheaded the drive to make the Maldives a modern liberal democracy. Shaheed is also the founder of the Open Society Association dedicated to the promotion of human rights, tolerance and democracy.
Although a very high profile sponsor of the DRP, he was defeated in his bid to win the Vice Presidency of the Party in April 2006.
[edit] Human rights advocacy
Shaheed had come under strident criticism for his advocacy of international human rights norms, such as extending standing invitations to United Nations Human Rights special mandates to visit Maldives and hosting of a UN Human Rights Advisor in Maldives. Shaheed's advocacy of an open society and strong anti-corruption measures were vehemently opposed by the President's brother, Abdullah Yameen and his supporters who mounted a series of motions of censure against Shaheed in parliament July–August 2007.[2]
[edit] Resignation
On August 21, 2007, Shaheed resigned as Foreign Minister ahead of a second due motion of no-confidence against him tabled in the Majlis, which followed criticism of the Majlis by Shaheed, who said that it had failed the people.[3][4] Shaheed said that "a conservative guard within the parliament and cabinet" was resisting reform.[4]
His resignation followed his open criticism of the parliament for having failed to protect the fundamental rights of the people and for being a rubber stamp to sustain the 30-year old rule of President Gayoom. In his resignation statement he called on the President to step down voluntarily and expressed frustration over the slow pace of the reform programme.[1]
[edit] Re-appointment
After Gayoom was defeated in the October 2008 presidential election, his successor, Mohamed Nasheed, reappointed Shaheed as Foreign Minister in November 2008.
On 5 May 2009, the Washington-based think-tank, Centre for the Study of Islam and Democracy conferred their annual Muslim Democrat of the Year Award to Shaheed. The citation for the award read that it was being given to Shaheed in recognition of his "role in building democracy and preserving it in the face of hardship, for promoting tolerance and harmony, and for opening a window into a century of reason, freedom, human rights and democracy in the Maldives and in South Asia."[2]
In June 17, 2011 he was elected as Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Iran by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations.
[edit] Personal life
Shaheed was educated at the University of Aberystwyth, UK before he obtained his PhD in International Relations at the University of Queensland, Australia. Shaheed is married with six children. One son from his first marriage, three daughters from his second marriage and two sons from his current marriage to Leela Ahmed, a naturalized Australian. His first two marriages ended in divorce.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://sun.mv/5942
- ^ Koimalaa
- ^ "Maldivian foreign minister resigns, citing argument with Parliament", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), August 21, 2007.
- ^ a b "Maldives foreign minister quits", BBC News, August 21, 2007.
