A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Last Sunday the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives celebrated the “great successes in the areas of protecting, promoting and sustaining human rights” in the country. The statement, marking Human Rights Day, lamented how “harassment, mockery, defamation and hateful acts have increased and acts that are harmful to a person’s life have also increased.” Such […]
Sports Commissioner Ahmed Nasheed has announced his resignation from the post with effect on Monday. Nasheed, known as TC Dave, made the announcement on Facebook without stating a reason. “If I have acted wrongly towards anyone in sports during my time as commissioner, I urge you not to consider that as intentional,” he wrote. The […]
The government broke its own spending rules by lavishing millions of dollars marking 50 years of Maldivian independence, an audit report has said. Auditors found that MVR66 million (US$4 million) was spent on the 2015 festivities without putting the projects out for tender, as required by law before awarding projects worth more than MVR1.5 million. […]
The sudden death of two youths in September sparked debate in the Maldives after it was revealed they had taken drugs with energy drinks. Friends who were with them at the time were charged with attempted suicide and encouraging suicide. Many were incredulous of the charges while others highlighted the lack of awareness about drug […]
Government plans to develop a cafe on the Male Friday Mosque site have stalled after a backlash on social media, including criticism from a former president. The Male’ Friday Mosque, built in 1658, is on UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage List and is described as “the most important heritage site of the country” and “one of […]
A member of the Maldives print and online media regulator has sued it for declining to investigate a silent protest staged by Raajje TV staff at this year’s journalism awards ceremony. Assad Shareef, a former actor and unsuccessful ruling party parliamentary candidate, filed the lawsuit against the Maldives Media Council at the civil court. “The issue […]
The High Court has overturned an Employment Tribunal unfair dismissal ruling over the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort’s sacking of three local staff in 2014. Ahmed Siyad, Hussain Ali Didi and Moosa Mohamed, who were senior members of the Tourism Employees Association of Maldives, were accused of organising and joining four separate “illegal” demonstrations on the […]
The state-owned Housing Development Corporation has announced the sale of more than 100 flats awarded under a previous government’s social housing programme. Built by a subsidiary of India’s Tata Group in the capital, the flats were put up for sale after its original recipients under the Veshi Fahi Malé programme were unable to secure loans before a […]
The Education Ministry Tuesday hit out at reports that a popular professor has been banned from giving lectures at local schools. Mihaaru said that Professor Hassan Ugail, the first Maldivian scientist and PhD holder in mathematics, was banned by the Education Ministry. The report was later edited to say he faced “challenges” to appear at […]