Hassan Saeed

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Dr 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 now standing for the Presidency of the Maldives.

Dr Hassan Saeed was appointed as the Attorney-General at the age of 33 years by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoomon 11 November 2003.

[edit] Education

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

[edit] Political Career

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, the Open Society Association of Maldives.

Dr. Saeed was thrust on 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.^{[citation needed]} Candid and forthright, Dr. Saeed is recognised 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 Road map for the Reform Agenda published in March 2006.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 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 apostacy and practice prevailing in Muslim community.

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.

Dr. Saeed, along with Justice Minister Mohamed Jameel Ahmed resigned from cabinet on 5 August 2007 accusing President Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom of deliberately obstructing reform process in the country which Dr. Saeed engineered and spearheaded. Many saw this as an act of principle from a man who attempted to reform the system but who left the cabinet to continue to campaign for that reform.

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" .

At the time of 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: