Minister of State for Home Affairs Abdulla Mohamed has challenged President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik over his stated attempts to review the flogging sentence given to a 15 year-old rape victim by the Juvenile Court, for an unrelated case of fornication.
The criticism follows a tweet by President Waheed in which he stated that he would push to review the Juvenile Court’s sentence of 100 lashes and eight months’ house arrest against the minor.
Mohamed, who is also the Vice President of the Civil Society Coalition, told local media that it was “not acceptable” that the country’s president was making remarks against a penalty proscribed in Islam and called for Waheed to repent.
The case has attracted widespread criticism from the international community, with Amnesty International launching a petition demanding the government repeal the sentence.
The Maldivian government – which is currently vying for re-election to the UN Human Rights Council, launched its campaign in Geneva on February 28 on a platform of “women and children’s rights and the rights of persons with disability” – has expressed “deep concern” at the decision to prosecute the girl.
“Though the flogging will be deferred until the girl turns 18, the government believes she is the victim of sexual abuse and should be treated as such by the state and the society and therefore, her rights should be fully protected,” said the President’s Office in a statement.
“The government is of the view that the case merits appeal. The girl is under state care and the government will facilitate and supervise her appeal of the case, via the girl’s lawyer, to ensure that justice is done and her rights are protected,” the statement added.
State Minister Abdulla’s comments echo similar sentiments made by the religious-conservative Adhaalath Party (AP), which issued a statement declaring that the girl “deserves the punishment” under Islamic Sharia law.
Local media reported Mohamed as saying he intended to meet with President Waheed in order to ask him to publicly apologise for his comments.
Mohamed further stated that the girl – who had also been raped by her stepfather – should be punished for committing and confessing to the sin of fornication, and that this penalty must not be challenged, local media reported.
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All the thiefs in government top jobs should have their hands cut.
All the alcohol drinkers should be whipped
ALl the tourists who commit sodomy and fornication should be flogged
Martialaw akhi Martialaw.
So this is going to be a sequel? Just inviting the enemies of islam to rant against our religion. Wonder where is the benefit in this for the sponsors of Minivan.
Waheed must be floged if he is saying these things against Islam. Islam is our religion and Fili Nasheed and his friends try to destroy our religion. Amnesty and all these people are jews and christians trying bring their religion to Maldives. Fili Nasheed wants this to happen. We must flood Waheed also for speaking against Islam. No one can say things against Islam. It is from Allah and Allah asked us to flood anyone who has sex with other people.
If this man doesnt like what Dr waheed has said he should resign. If he doesn't Dr Waheed should sack him. You can't hold a government post and blast the President in public. Disagreements should be discussed behind closed doors.
Islam is benevolent compassionate and a religion for all times. Shariah can and has in different parts of the Islamic world adapted to modern times.
Unfortunately the Maldives stayed trapped in the medieval interpretation of Shariah because no attempt was done during Gayooms long 30 year rule to reform the legal system. The country was run like a mafia with a rubber stamp judiciary who acted on the instructions of the Zaeem.
The Adhalath Party interprets the Quraan and Sunnai in the narrowest possible fashion and wants to instal a fascist society in the Maldives. How different is this party from the Nazi party ? Anti-jewish, intolerant, misogynist, racist, fascist.
Is this what we want for our nation? We have to wake up as a nation. We have to stop listening to these idiots, what do they REALLY know about Islam. The majority of these idiots went to madhrasaas in Pakistan and became political activists to promote this movement that is trying to take over the world just as Hitler did. This has NOTHING to do with Islam. Just using Islam as a political tool to dominate.
The State Minister is deliberately distorting the issue to make this about Islam. EVERYONE knows the outcry is not about Islam, its that a MINOR has been charged and sentenced for flogging.
Enemies of islam? Wtf.... sexual abuse is NOT fornication
@kuribee
You are a nutcase. You do not know anthing about Islam or Qu'ran. Prophet Mohammed did not write Qu'ran, it was written long after his death by his followers and is the work of 6th century Arab tribal lords. God did not send down any holy book including Tau'rat,Bible new testament or Qu'ran. We Maldivians were peace loving Buddhists for thousands of years until the Moorish merchants plying between Arabian ports and Indonesia introduced their religion to our islands while waiting in the country to repair their vessels. During their stay, they took temporary local wives and these Arab half-breeds were the first "Seedis" of Maldives. Gayoom's father, Bodufenvalhuge Seedhi are just a few exaples of this half-caste families, who took advantage of the poor Maldivians, with their little knowledge of fishing seasons, astronomy etc. for half of the fish catch and coconuts and many islanders sent their young daughters to the Seedhis as concubines.
Now with so many sheikhs we are not only copying a foreign religion, but also their culture and dress code / fashion. We have truly lost our unique Maldivian look specially amoung our ladies. We have become a nation of black buruqas. Doesn't they know that black dresses absorbs twice more heat than light color. Shaheem should be riding a donkey or camel, that's why god has put fire to his "Kaafaru" made car.
Hello @Kuribee and @ human being! are you man enough to admit that you have committed adultry???? why should it be the girl who suffers. You b*******s!!!! It is ok for you dirty men to go suck out a little girl's blood for your pleasures! that rejuvenates your manhood??!! in sane!!! But when it comes for punishment, it must always be the women. As that Abdulla Minister whether he knows who his real father is?
JUST SKIP THE MALDIVES FROM YOUR HOLYDAY LIST. THERE ARE TOOOOO MANY TOURISTS ANYWAY, AND THE BEACHES ARE TOOOOO WHITE, AND THE DRINKS TOOOO EXPENSIVE.
1000THS OF MORE NICE PLACES IN THE WORLD..:)
ANTON