Police are investigating 51 new complaints of torture and wrongful imprisonment after soliciting cases from an office in the Velaanage building.
The torture investigation committee led by former Defence Minister Ameen Faisal was formed by Presidential decree to investigate torture allegations against former government, and obtain information concerning prison torture carried out during both the current and former administrations.
The office was opened last week following the release of disturbing photographs of tortured victims in custody, and the arrest of former prisons chief Isthafa Ibrahim Manik, who has since been released to house arrest on order of the High Court.
The photos released so far include images of men tied to coconut palms, caged, and bloodied. One of the photos, of a prisoner lying on a blood-soaked mattress, has a 2001 date stamp.
Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said some of the complaints concerned “inhumane activities” and violations of human rights within the prison system, while others related to people “who were imprisoned for a long time without trial, or were kept in custody despite a court order [to the contrary].”
“Most occurred a long time ago, 20-30 years,” Shiyam said. None of the 51 complaints selected for investigation referred to incidents in the last two years, he confirmed, although the office was continuing to seek information on recent cases.
The prisons system has been under particular scrutiny following the disappearance in April of crucial files relating to an investigation into human remains found on the site of the former Gaamaadhoo prison.
“People want to see justice for what happened,” a senior government source told Minivan News at the time. “Human remains were discovered and there is a strong reason to believe that something bad happened. However it looks like the investigation has been compromised.”
Police have since claimed that preliminary investigations revealed planned and systemic abuse of prisoners over a long period of time.
Several members of government, including President Mohamed Nasheed, maintain they were tortured in custody under the former administration.
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has denied allegations – among others – that incidences of torture occurred during his rule.
“All such allegations of corruption, mismanagement and misappropriation of funds and property are baseless and completely untrue, as are those of torture, repression, and unlawful detention during my presidency,” Gayoom said in a letter to UK Prime Minister David Cameron last year, dated October 17.
“Nearly two years after the MDP government assumed presidency, Nasheed and his government have failed to uncover a single shred of evidence to substantiate any of these allegations,” Gayoom said.
Cases of previous custodial torture can be reported to the government’s investigation committee on the 12th floor of Velaanage, by phone on +960 333 0584 or +960 333 0585, or island police posts.
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No need to investigate anythiing. If the present government can prove that any wrongdoings happened during Gayyoomm's rule, then they would have proved it by now. They simply are not capable of holding anyone from the previous regime accountable for having done anything wrong. Whats the point of making these headlines news?
Please tell me. Has even ONE person from the previous regime been held accountable for anything so far? The answer is a big NO. So i am fed up of hearing that the present government can do anything. They can neither govern. Nor can they serve justice to the people. All they can do is TALK of big things. I must be a fool to have thought that this government will do things better.
51 complaints?
Not 1 will be proved in the end.
“All such allegations of corruption, mismanagement and misappropriation of funds and property are baseless and completely untrue, as are those of torture, repression, and unlawful detention during my presidency,” Gayoom said.
“Nearly two years after the MDP government assumed presidency, Nasheed and his government have failed to uncover a single shred of evidence to substantiate any of these allegations,” Gayoom said.
So, case closed.
No?
All allegations are false.
That's SO TRUE. - Rocket-
And Mostly FAIL at promises. I mean even in the begining they said they are aware of the ecomnomic situation in Maldives, but after 2 and half years kept ignoring it and in the end we have to pay the price. Anni became president because maumoon gave him presidency, it doesn't show that the people did it. Maumoon all time happy, we the PEOPLE all time suffering, and yes Mr anni's friends and MDP activists all time HAPPY too , they have cash now.The people are merely just surviving a living.
And at Whats with that duty free thingy for eco-freindly products when food prices have skyrocketed. my conclusion, Mr. Anni and MDP has failed.
Focus your anger on the present Judiciary Pls..With Ms.Azima Shakoor winning cases for the vampires she represents...
@ Ayya
"With Ms.Azima Shakoor winning cases for the vampires she represents…"
Azima Shakoor might have won "the cases for the vampires" she represented. But, please tell me, are those cases tough ones to win?
Azima did not win any tough cases. She simply presented the cases that can be decided even by a fifth grader. This government, however, was not able to decide on these cases because they interpret law in their own way.
Azima Shakoor is a lawyer. Whether she represents vampires, werewolves or the tooth fairy is her own professional decision to make.
Legal professionals working in the private sector are under no obligation to represent a certain kind of person.
P.s. - 5th graders cannot win the cases that Ms. Shakoor has successfully won. The prevalent attitude in this country that anyone and everyone can decide on legal matters with their handy Constitution booklets and Sai Hota knowledge of the law is one of the worst afflictions this country has seen to date.
Maybe all evidence was destroyed. People need this to prove anything.
As a matter of principles, applying the Mahathma Ghandi's principles of clemency, forgiving and showing the other cheek can be considered; but not when they are attached to individuals who have been wronged, or when rule of law is been broken (especially for personal gain), be it anyone!
So as to speak of reality and justice, who ever were involved in letting these people roam free at large, must be punished for their activities, be it anyone!
This administration did have the balls to democratically defeat a long reigning dictator with the promise of giving the peoples justice as they deserve.
Gayyoom, his Home Minister, the Police personals involved in this case do seem to have worked knowingly and as a unit with a common ideology; and they need to be brought to justice as promised.
It is not possible to see this country settled politically or otherwise; unless justice is served to the peoples who have been wronged by whichever administration - past or present.
Without prejudice.
Learned lawyers winning cases these days is very different from doing justice, or it does not mean that justice is being served.
In the wild, scavengers could and would eat any rot any day!