A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
President Abdulla Yameen has launched the ‘Y18 Sports Fiesta’ organised by the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives as part of his 2018 re-election campaign with MVR7.5 million (US$490,000) in prize money for winning teams. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony Monday night at the National Art Gallery, Yameen praised the PPM for planning such a large-scale event […]
A 45-year-old man has been arrested on a southern island on suspicion of sexually abusing a six-year-old girl who was previously victimised by a different perpetrator. A police media official said the Maldivian suspect was taken into custody Monday night from the island in Gaaf Alif atoll. A 35-year-old Bangladeshi migrant worker was arrested in […]
The civil court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the family of slain blogger Yameen Rasheed over the failure of the police to protect him despite numerous death threats reported to the authorities. On Sunday, Judge Abdul Nasir Shafeeq decided that the court does not have the jurisdiction to hear the negligence suit as investigating […]
The judicial authorities have revoked the suspension of 13 out of 54 lawyers who were barred from appearing in court for signing a petition for judicial reform. On Monday, the Department of Judicial Administration, which functions under the Supreme Court, announced that the suspension was lifted after the investigation of their cases was completed. The 54 […]
Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muiz has defended an anonymised list of winners of flats in Hulhumalé, denying allegations that applicants were phoned by the first lady’s campaign office to check their political allegiance. At a testy press conference Monday morning, Muiz insisted that the 661 flat winners were chosen from more than 15,000 applicants after […]
The ambassador-designate to Sri Lanka has stood by threats to detain former President Mohamed Nasheed after the exiled opposition leader’s high-profile international lawyers expressed concern about their client’s safety. Mohamed Hussain Shareef ‘Mundhu’ told the pro-government Sun TV last week that the Maldivian embassy would enforce orders to detain Nasheed in Colombo and return him to the Maldives to […]
The Maldives’ absence from a UN vote on the prevention of mass atrocities amid global concern over the exodus of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar has drawn fierce criticism with the opposition speculating that the move was dictated by China. On Friday, 113 countries voted in favour of including a debate on ‘The Responsibility to Protect […]
Three young men have been charged with terrorism over the abduction of Ahmed Rilwan, more than three years after the Maldives Independent journalist was forced into a car at knifepoint outside his apartment building in Hulhumalé. The Prosecutor General’s office pressed charges against suspected gang members Aalif Rauf, Mohamed Nooradeen, and Mohamed Suaid on August 15, a […]
The anti-corruption watchdog has launched a probe after an anonymised list of 661 flat winners caused an uproar from unsuccessful applicants of the government housing programme. Complaints were lodged last week over the lack of transparency and the housing ministry’s failure to explain how points were awarded, Anti-Corruption Commission officials told the press. About 15,000 […]