The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has denied allegations by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) that constitutional rights and procedures were violated in the arrest of 79 youth last weekend from a music festival in an uninhabited island.
In a press release issued in response to a statement yesterday by the MDP’s rights committee, police insisted that all the suspects taken into custody from Vaavu Anbaraa were informed of their constitutional rights as well as the reason for the arrest.
“In addition, they were informed in writing of the reason for their detention in accordance with the law, and they were told that they had the right to legal counsel,” the press release read.
It added that all suspects detained from Anbaraa were brought before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest. Police also noted that the island was raided with a court order.
The MDP’s rights committee however contended that procedures specified in the constitution for arrest or detention – such as informing suspects of the reasons in writing within 24 hours, providing access to legal counsel, and presenting suspects before a judge within 24 hours for a remand hearing – were breached by the police.
Moreover, the committee alleged that police did not act in accordance with regulations governing the exercise of law enforcement powers concerning arrest and detention.
The rights committee suggested that it was “absolutely necessary” to ensure that law enforcement efforts are focused on citizens and the community while respecting human rights and democratic principles.
“While police powers and discretion is afforded within specifically determined parameters of the law, we remind the Home Minister of the Maldives at this juncture that police powers and discretion cannot be used outside those parameters,” the MDP statement read.
The police statement however stated that the MPS “assures the beloved citizens of Maldives that no actions that could violate human rights or demean human dignity were committed in the operation conducted in V. Anbaraa.”
The press release went on to address the MDP’s statement, contending that it was “misleading” and expressed in a manner that “encourages youth to commit crimes”.
Police further argued that the opposition party’s statement could confuse the public concerning “the principles and rules of the democracy that Maldivians are seeing today.”
Police also reminded the MDP that actions encouraging drug use or trafficking were prohibited by article 128 of the Drugs Act.
The police statement concluded with an appeal to all parties to cooperate with law enforcement efforts to “safeguard youth and this society from the danger of drugs” and refrain from actions that could cause loss of public confidence in the MPS.
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It is laughable when MPS talks about democracy after a single officer was charged for stopping the Presidential elections of 2013!
This will win then another few apartments. Whores in Bangkok. Trips to Mecca.
Finally the Government + Police is doing something against corruption and drugs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KcRl1p2waM
Scorpions - Wind Of Change
Here is the World famous song - sung by a Maldivian Lady with an extraordenery soothing voice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf43_y2MGZw
I Am Sailing - ..... to be near you, to be free
Maldives police is requesting to help them to safeguard youth and their society, but the question is what help do they need from the people? Seems they need your silence for their uncivilized inhuman behaviors. They need your support for carrying out their sadist operations. May be they even don’t realize what motivates them to behave the way they behave. If any one believes that raiding on some people who might be under influence of drugs and alcohol can stop people from using them is gross mistake. May be they will not go to such open party, but they will not definitely stop their activities. So what is behind the police agenda is obvious; publicity stunt and degrade people who went for partying.
I am sure 90% of this police force are druggies, how can they be spared in such moronic place where life is so boring and people are so ignorant and miserable. Drug is a fashion, and for most people here the drug is their soul mate and people are lazy and have no ambition that can motivate them to do anything in life. The reason is their belief system; this life is unworthy and the life after this life is what matters, this is how they were indoctrinated from childhood and this has contributed a lot in terms of their mental condition. Some people may think that people use drugs due to lack of their faith in Islam, but if you go and check, most of these people are hardcore islamist. People with no faith in after life, and are educated and have means to live their life, they just want live it in its fullest capacity; they don’t just waste their life under the influence of drugs. So why anyone with sanity would praise this moronic police for chasing some innocent miserable people handcuffing and drag them on the street. If you want help people from drugs and crimes, just teach them, educate them and nurture their brain under protection, care and love from infancy to live and enjoy life doing something that is worth. This is how you develop human society, not with stick and rebuke like what you do in animal herd.
and MDP still continues to wonder why it failed... STAY TUNED !
It's not even a matter of rights, it's the intention behind this crack down which is disgusting. Fact is: many harmless young Maldivians are in jail while many real criminals (including many politicians) are living lives in luxury. But yea, that's what you get if you bring criminals to power.
some people will find hard to believe that idiots like gnashed is been kicked out from power by popularity voters.
People are sick of this guys and his hardcore activists including some people who are making comments here will find very difficult to believe what is happening in this country.
This country is have started seen the improvements in terms of economics, peace etc while during Nasheed era our economy had been screwed.
Nasheed and his thugs can only dream but people never accept him as our leader ever.
who can you trust - when the police knew it was taking place and did nothing to stop it before hand -- what a joke --