Five Democracy Detainees Transferred from House to Male’ Arrest

UPDATE:

Sources in Male’ have stated that Mohamed Yousuf Fulhu & Susan Ibrahim Fulhu have been transferred from house to Male’ arrest along with IC, Falah and Ismail Asif. However, Ahmed Shafeeq and Mohamed Nazeer are thought to still be under house arrest in Male’.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

Five Black Friday detainees, arrested for their part in the peaceful pro-democracy rally of 12-13th August 2004, have been transferred from house to Male’ arrest today (28th November), reports from Male’ have confirmed.

The five men – IC, Falah, Ahmed Shafeeq, Ismail Asif, Mohamed Nazeer – were some of the last democracy detainees to be released from jail. Their release was thought to have been, in part, due to strong international pressure on the Maldivian government, particularly during the hunger strike in Dhoonidhoo Jail two weeks ago, in which the five were involved.

It was reported that all five released from house arrest today have suffered severe torture at the hands of the Maldivian government’s National Security Service (NSS).

Abdulla Rasheed (IC) for instance, was reportedly beaten up so badly during his arrest on 14 August that he had to be rushed to hospital, suffering from vomiting and temporary paralysis of his legs. Ahmed Falah was reportedly blindfolded, handcuffed and forced to squat while four police officers systematically beat him.

Ahmed Shafeeq, Member of the Special Majlis for Meemu Atoll, was charged on 15 November 2004 under article 50 of the Penal Code with reference to the archaic article 46 of the Code of breaching public peace in an unlawful assembly. The charge carries sentences of imprisonment for a term between one year and four years, or banishment for a term between two years and eight years or a fine not exceeding Rufiyaa 4000/-.

It is thought the reason for the MP’s long incarceration was because he was one of the three Members of Parliament who attempted to lodge a criminal case of treason against the Speaker of the Majlis for alleged violation of the Constitution.

Ismail Asif is reportedly determined to bring legal action against those who interrogated him in Dhoonidhoo. It is alleged that the police had the discretion to include or omit what they wanted from the statement they took from Mr Asif and the statement only included certain points made by him while other points he wanted the police to include in the statement were not included. It is further alleged that Mr Asif was then asked to sign the statement on the pretext that it was the detainee’s own statement given on his own free will.

Mohamed Nazeer, a prominent businessman, was arrested on 28 September 2004. It is thought that he has remained in prison for so long because he was not “co-operating with the investigation” which reportedly means that he refused to sign a confession for his ‘crimes’.

The Maldivian government is thought to still hold some 20 people arrested after the August protest including prominent religious figure Sheik Fareed.

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