Ibrahim Riffath

Senior Partner

Ibrahim Riffath has over 19 years of experience in public service and private practice, specialising in civil and constitutional law, commercial litigation, and dispute resolution. He is well known and respected for his legal acumen, ingenuity in statutory and legal interpretation as well as court strategy and quiet calm even during the most taxing of times.

Riffath served as the Attorney General of the Maldives (2018-2023) and Solicitor General of the Maldives (2011-2013). As an ex officio he was a member of the Judicial Service Commission, an Executive Member of the Bar Council of the Maldives and chaired several statutory/ad hoc committees and sub-committees.

As the former Attorney General, Riffath was responsible for advising the President and the Cabinet on all legal matters, representing the State in domestic and international litigation and arbitration, drafting and reviewing legislation and regulations, and overseeing the legal affairs of all government ministries and agencies. He played a pivotal role in reforming and modernizing the legal system of the Maldives, introducing landmark laws such as the Transitional Justice Act, the Legal Profession Act, the Civil Procedure Act and the Evidence Act.

Riffath has extensive experience in handling complex and high-profile cases involving issues of national and international importance. He is licensed to appear before all the courts in the Maldives.

Riffath is passionate about promoting the rule of law, advancing legal education, and enhancing access to justice in the Maldives.

Previous Appointments

Member of the National Security Council, pursuant to Section 13(b) of the Armed Forces Act, (November 2018- November 2023)
Chairman of the Clemency Board, pursuant to Section 10(d) of the Amnesties and Commutations of Punishment Act, (November 2018- November 2023)
Chairman of the National Security Council’s Sub-Committee on Counter-Terrorism (November 2019- November 2023)
Chairman of the National Security Council’s Sub-Committee on Intelligence (2022-2023)
Member of the National Security Council’s Sub-Committee on Critical Infrastructre (July 2022 -November 2023)
Chairman of the Intelligence Audit Committee (convened to conduct an intelligence audit of security apparatus in the Maldives, following the May 6th attack on former President Mohamed Nasheed (May 2021)
Chairman of the Ministerial Committee convened to inquire into the incidents following International Yoga Day celebrations (June 2022)
Chairman of the Ministerial Steering Committee convened to assist the Presidential Commission on Death and Disappearances (August 2022- November 2023)
Member of the Ministerial Steering Committee convened to assist the Presidential Commission established to inquire into child rights violations (February 2020)
Chairman of the Steering Committee convened in August 2020 to oversee the implementation of the Child Rights Protection Act and Juvenile Justice Act (August 2020)
Member of the Steering Committee convened to assist the Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery (November 2018- March 2022)
Member of the National Gang Violence Prevention Task Force (December 2021- November 2023)
Member of the National Drug Prevention Task Force, (December 2021- November 2023)
Member of the High-Level Steering Committee on Gender Equality, pursuant to Section 42 (a) of the Gender Equality Act, to formulate national policies and implementation of the Gender Action Plan (July 2022- November 2023)
Member of the National Task Force on Issues Related to Migrant Workers (October 2019- November 2023)
Member of the Judicial Administration Committee, convened to liaise policies of the Judicial Service Commission and to assist the Chief Judicial Administrator (November 2018- November 2023)
Chairman of the Special Committee established by the Attorney General, to legally review and formulate a legal opinion on the Constitution promulgated in 2008; the Committee was instrumental in providing legal advice to the drafting committee of the People’s Majlis on the legal implication of the constitutional provisions in the Maldivian context (August-September 2008)
Chairman of the Special Committee convened by the Attorney General, to legally review and formulate a legal opinion on the legislations inconsistent with the 2008 Constitution; the committee was tasked with reviewing and scrutinizing all the laws of the Maldives, in force at the time, to determine inconsistencies with the Constitution to submit recommendations for the People’s Majlis (December 2007 – August 2008)

Professional Affiliations

Member of the Judicial Academy Board (February 2020- November 2023)
Co-chair and Member of the UNDP’s Integrated Governance Programme Phase III and Board Member (July 2020-November 2023)
Part-time Member of the Employment Tribunal of the Maldives (December 29, 2008 – February 25, 2010)
Member of the Investment Board, Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives (January 2009 -March 2009)
Member of Tender Evaluation Board, Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Maldives (January 2005-September 2005)
Part–time Lecturer (Company Law) at Faculty of Sharia’h and Law, Maldives (January 2005- June 2005)
Member of the Secretariat, Law Commission of the Maldives, Maldives (1998- 2001)

Arbitration and Mediation Cases

Two arbitrations initiated by Noomadi Resorts and Residences AG (Liechtenstein) against the Government of Maldives at the Permanent Court of Arbitration
Ad-hoc arbitration initiated by Tuff Offshore Engineering Services Pte Ltd (Singapore) against the Government of Maldives
An arbitration initiated by Prime Capital Maldives Ltd (British Virgin Islands) against the Government of Maldives at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre
An arbitration initiated by M/S Lucky-Triveni JV (New Delhi) against the Government of Maldives under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
An arbitration initiated by the Government of Maldives against Executors General Trading (United Arab Emirates), under the Rules of Arbitration of the Maldives International Arbitration Centre
Acting as Local Legal Consultant for GMR in the Arbitration Case against Government of Maldives (2014)
Acting as Government Legal Counsel in the trade negotiations and vetting the Concession Agreements to be entered into by and between Dubai World and the Government of the Maldives in relation to the Hulhumalé Development Phase II, Rajah & Tann LLP, 77 Robinson Road # 05-00, Singapore (16-20 December 2007)

Notable International Cases

Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives in the Indian Ocean, at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea – Agent for the Republic of Maldives
Declaration of Intervention of the Republic of Maldives pursuant to Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, in the case of the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v Myanmar), at the International Court of Justice – Agent for the Republic of Maldives
Written Statement of the Republic of Maldives to the International Court of Justice in the Request for an Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences Arising from The Policies and Practices of Israel in The Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem – Agent for the Republic of Maldives
Acting as Local Legal Consultant in the Petition filed by President Nasheed against the Government at United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Acting as Government Legal Counsel in the high level talks between the Maldives and United Kingdom on Chagos, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, United Kingdom (6 October 2011)

Notable Local Court Cases

Member of the Legal Team representing the Maldives Democratic Party as Joinder in the constitutional petition filed by the Progressive Party of the Maldives in Supreme Court of Maldives seeking to overturn the election result of the Presidential Election in 2018
Representing 12 Parliamentarians who have been controversially unseated by the Election Commission (2018)
Member of the Legal Team representing President Mohamed Nasheed in his terrorism case. Reported judgment
Acting as Legal Counsel for the former Auditor General of Maldives on a constitutional petition at High Court of Maldives in respect of the Government of Maldives vacating his position unlawfully. Reported judgment
Representing 40 employees of Maldives Airport Company Limited in the novel class action in respect of discrimination on working conditions, equal pay and other related employment issues. [48/VTR/2013]
Representing the State at the Supreme Court in a constitutional petition examining whether the Parliament could add more qualifications for ministers and the constitutional implications of Parliament’s approval of ministers. Reported judgment

Forums and Conferences

Maldives Women Judges Conference 2023, Crossroads Maldives (15-16 March 2023)
SIMC Accredited Mediators Workshop, Singapore International Mediation Centre, 10-14 October 2022
Training of Trainers-Judicial Performance Evaluation, an initiative facilitated by Judge Malcolm Simmons, was carried out by UNDP Maldives in partnership with Judicial Service Commission (9 September 2021)
Pacific Regional Legal Aid Conference, UNDP Pacific Office, Sigatoka, Fiji (21-23 August 2019)
Introduction to International Arbitration by CIArb, Paradise Island Resort, Maldives (5-6 September 2014)
14th International Anti-Corruption Conference, Bangkok, Thailand (10-13 November 2010)
4th Annual Conference and General Meeting of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (the IAACA), Macau, China (2-5 November 2010)
Inter-sectoral Consultation of Selected Pacific Island Countries on Issues of IPR, Trade and Public Health, Nadi, Fiji (25 – 27 March 2009)
Attachment at the Subordinate Courts of Singapore, Subordinate Courts Building No. 1 Havelock Square, Singapore (22-26 October 2007)
Attachment at Corporate and Litigation departments in Allen & Gledhill LLP (Barristers & Solicitors), One Marina Boulevard # 28–00, Singapore 018989, Singapore (October- November 2007)
Seminar on (I) WTO Agreements on Anti-Dumping, Subsidies & Safeguards; (II) Dispute Settlement Understanding, Istanbul, Republic of Turkey (4-6 September 2007)
Intercountry Workshop on Tobacco Control Legislation and Implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Myanmar (20-23 June 2005)
SAARC LAW Seminar on Legal Education and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Maldives (22-23 May 1999)

Talks Delivered

Panelist, for Session 1: “Towards Equality- judges as Gender Advocates”, the discussion focused on empowering women in the judiciary, government measures for gender representation in decision making and amendments to laws for gender representation in decision making, hosted by Judicial Service Commission, Crossroads Maldives, Women Judge Conference (15-16 March 2023)
Speaker as Agent of the Maldives, “Opening Statement of the Agent of the Republic of Maldives” in the case of dispute concerning the delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and the Maldives in the Indian ocean), International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, Hamburg, Germany (20 October 2022)
Member of the Delegation, for the Eightieth Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women – Review of the Maldives’ Sixth Periodic Report under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Maldives (20-21 October 2021)
Head of Delegation, for the Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review- the Review of the Maldives, (4-6 November 2020)Plenary Address on (Webinar) “Intervention on Justice and Legal Sector Reform”, for the Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review- the Review of the Maldives, Male, Maldives (4-6 November 2020)
Plenary Address on the First Integrated Governance Programme’s Board Meeting for the Year 2020, UNDP Maldives, Male, Maldives (July 2020)
Panelist, for Plenary Session 4: “Building Robust Institutions: Addressing Government and Justice”, Maldives Partnership Forum, Kurumba Maldives, Maldives (17-19 June 2019)
Speaker, “Opening Ceremony of the Workshop on the Universal Periodic Review of Maldives”, Male, Maldives (16-18 April 2019)
Panelist, for ‘Viavethi Raaje’- Local Councillors Forum, Crossroads Maldives, Maldives (15-16 December 2019)Plenary Address on “Democracy, Governance and Strengthening Justice Sector”, Fourth EU-Maldives Policy Dialogue, Kurumba Maldives, Maldives (11 March 2019)
Plenary Address on “Promotion and Protection of Human Rights”, Fourth EU-Maldives Policy Dialogue, Kurumba Maldives, Maldives (11 March 2019)

Educational Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Oxford Brookes University
Master of Laws (International Commercial Law), University of Westminster