A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed has called for the united opposition to seek the election of an interim leader in the 2018 presidential election. The task of the interim president should be transitional matters, “especially reforming the judiciary and reforming the government,” the opposition leader said in a message to members of the Maldivian Democratic Party. […]
Two Maldivians en route to join the fighting in Syria have been arrested in Turkey and brought back to the country, according to the police. Both suspects have been remanded for 15 days, the police said, declining to disclose any further details. Two Maldivians were arrested in Turkey and brought back to Maldives while en […]
President Abdulla Yameen dialled up campaign rhetoric Thursday night at the first major rally of the Progressive Party of Maldives since facing heavy losses in May’s council elections. With less than a year for the 2018 presidential election, Yameen’s speech was heavily focused on excoriating the Maldivian Democratic Party government of former President Mohamed Nasheed, who presided […]
Police have started implementing monitoring and control orders against five suspected criminals. The police last week asked the High Court for monitoring and control orders for nine people seen as a “danger to society or suspected to attempt an act that is not in line with expected social behaviour”. It is not clear if the […]
The anti-corruption watchdog has asked the Prosecutor General’s office to press charges against a senior official of a state-owned utility company over allegations of corruption and mismanagement. The Anti-Corruption Commission is seeking charges against the procurement department director of Fenaka Corporation for allegedly providing undue benefit to private parties in purchasing diesel for the company. […]
The Inter-Parliamentary Union has expressed concern over human rights violation against opposition lawmakers in the Maldives. In a press statement Wednesday, the global organisation of national parliaments called for a fact-finding mission by its Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians and noted appreciation for an offer made by the Maldivian authorities to grant a visit in the near […]
On World Mental Health Day earlier this month, 27-year-old Aisha* Mohamed was eating fried chicken at a seaside cafe in the Maldivian capital Malé. Her laughter hid the long day she had had. Her humour also concealed issues that affected her more. Issues that affect many Maldivians who have challenges diagnosing and treating them. “Three […]
The High Court on Wednesday began hearing an appeal from a man found guilty of planting a bomb near the official presidential residence in November 2015. After a secret trial, Mohamed Ubaid was handed a 17-year jail term in June last year along with co-defendants Zihan Ahmed and Thal’ath Mohamed. A fourth suspect, Mohamed Mamdhooh, […]
Two separate investigations are under way into the death of a Maafushi inmate who died while being treated at a Malé hospital, with his family alleging he was denied medical treatment. The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives and the National Integrity Commission are probing the custodial death on October 10 of Abdulla Rasheed, who […]