In a decisive move, the Maldives Parliament has unanimously approved the appointment of Abbas Shareef as the new Prosecutor General. The final vote took place on Tuesday morning, following a strong endorsement from the Judiciary Committee a day earlier.

The decision comes in the wake of Hussain Shameem’s dismissal from the role on August 22, after a no-confidence vote. The law stipulates that a new Prosecutor General must be appointed within 30 days, prompting Parliament to hold extraordinary sittings despite being in recess.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu selected Abbas Shareef from among the applicants for the position. His nomination was submitted to the Judiciary Committee on September 11 and garnered a remarkable 93 percent approval during the review. The full Parliament echoed this support with a unanimous vote of 85 in favor.

During his committee interview, Abbas emphasized that his decision to apply for the role was driven by personal interest rather than any external influence. He assured lawmakers of his commitment to impartiality, integrity, and transparency. “I will not look at anyone’s face. I will make decisions based solely on the facts of the case,” he declared.

Abbas also advocated for introducing parental responsibility laws to hold parents accountable for crimes committed by their children. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania and has represented high-profile figures including former Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Additionally, he served as a High Court judge from 2011 to 2015.

Following the vote, which also included discussion of a government bill to amend the Companies Act, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla announced that no further extraordinary sittings would be held during the recess. The Parliament will reconvene for its regular session on October 7.