PPM leaks details of HRCM investigation into February 7

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), which is headed former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has leaked the report composed by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) into the police mutiny and controversial transfer of power that led to ousting of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Details from the report were leaked by PPM interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer at a press conference yesterday. The report itself has not been released to the public.

However, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has raised concerns that, contrary to claims in local media, it had not yet received a copy of the findings from the HRCM that were detailed by the PPM. The now opposition party has claimed it is presently awaiting a copy of the report to be sent by the People’s Majlis following a written request.

HRCM’s report claimed that Nasheed gave “unlawful orders” to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police officers at the Artificial Beach area on the evening of February 6, during a confrontation between then-opposition protesters and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) demonstrators.

According to Umar Naseer,  the HRCM report stated that the MNDF and police officers at the Artificial Beach area were “unlawfully” ordered to leave the area, which led to a breakdown in command and control of the security forces.

Consequently, citizens were injured and huge damage was caused to the state, Naseer stated, citing the report.

The HRCM report said the order of Nasheed to leave the area violated article 245 of the constitution, by obstructing security forces from fulfilling their lawful duties.

The report also stated that there was no chain of command inside Republican Square that night, but that some individual officers obeyed Nasheed’s orders and a group of MNDF officers attempted to arrest police gathered in the square.

“A confrontation occurred between security forces and citizens, and officers of the security forces were severely injured,” HRCM reportedly claimed.

The report concluded saying that the investigation did not find that Nasheed’s life was in danger that day while he was inside MNDF headquarters, or that anyone tried to kill Nasheed, Naseer claimed.

Umar Naseer told the press that the HRCM’s report was “very true” and thanked the commission for “revealing the truth”.

On February 7, Former President Mohamed Nasheed resigned after several elements within police and MNDF officers joined a then-opposition protest and demanded his resignation.

MDP Spokesperson and MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor today told Minivan News that despite having received a report from the HRCM “late last night” regarding an investigation into the events occurring on February 8, it had not been given findings concerning the events leading up to the power transfer.

“We have a situation where the MDP, as a stakeholder in this process, has not received a copy of this report,” he said. “We have been made aware that a copy has been sent to the Majlis and we also have the PPM talking about this.”

Ghafoor claimed that it was “very important” for the party to be updated on the HRCM’s findings to address what he alleged were “blatant lies” spoken by Umar Naseer.

“We also have concern about the legal implications here. Independent institutions and their findings are playing a key part in the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) investigation,” he said.

Ghafoor added that parliament had since responded to a request by the MDP that was made late yesterday for a copy of the HRCM report leaked by Naseer.

HRCM President Mariyam Azra was not responding to calls by Minivan News at the time of press.

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