Paper Title
The Police Appeal Committee of the Maldives: from Transition to Justice, Public Confidence and Accountability

Abstract
Standards followed by Police Officers have been often criticised by public which has increased the need for inculcating ethical and moral standards in Police Officers. However, in cases of police officer’s misconduct, when disciplinary action is taken, it has been considered that these officials are unfairly treated, and such measures are applied inconsistently and may even be politically motivated. The ratification of the Maldives Police Services Act (Law No. 34/2020) on 6 December 2020, established the professional standards for Police Officers in the Maldives and decisions taken by the Disciplinary Board of Maldives Police Services (MPS) can be reviewed by the Police Appeal Committee. Through qualitative interviews with 2 members of the Appeal Committee and 1 professional from the Monitoring, Rehabilitation and Peace Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Maldives, this paper explores the characteristic nature of the Police Appeal Committee in ensuring accountability and public confidence and in doing so applies a two-level analytical framework – the human rights-based approach and principles of good governance to evaluate the effectiveness of the Appeal Committee and appraises the achievements, challenges and constraints. This paper also revisits the number of cases appealed; the duration taken for concluding cases. Evidence from this research will help document current practices and propose recommendations for further improving the work of Appeal Committee. It also highlights the importance of adopting principles of good governance and human rights-based approach to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in public service delivery. The paper concludes with the importance of legal framework, individual factors such as motivation, commitment, and expertise of Committee members in the successful investigation and resolution of appeal cases in ensuring justice and establishing strong institutions. Keywords - Appeal Committee, Maldives Police Services, misconduct, professionalism, Police Board.