Former President Mohamed Nasheed attended police headquarters this afternoon, following a request made by police in a letter sent earlier this week.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Youth Wing Leader Aminath Shauna told Minivan News that while the letter was not an official police summons, it accused Nasheed of orchestrating violence against police and vandalism of police property since May 29.
The letter was signed by Deputy Head of Specialist Crime Command, Superintendent Mohamed Riyaz, said Shauna.
She added that Nasheed had decided to attend the station against the advice of both his legal team and the MDP’s National Council, over fears for his safety.
In a statement on July 31, the MDP accused President Mohamed Waheed’s administration of “demonstrating a clear pattern of abuse of power and tactics aimed at removing President Nasheed from the upcoming Presidential race.”
“The letter to summon President Nasheed is baseless and fails to state any specific charges. The letter refers indirectly to attacks on police, vandalising of police property and claims that their observations have led them to believe President Nasheed is responsible for such events,” the party stated. The MDP added that the work of the Commonwealth-sanctioned Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) into the controversial circumstances surrounding Nasheed’s resignation was ongoing.
“Upon assessment of the facts surrounding the summons, we conclude that this summons is an attempt by the Government to thwart the progress of the Commission of National Inquiry and former President Nasheed’s participation in upcoming elections,” the party said.
“In the absence of any specific criminal charge for which he is being investigated, and since the stated purpose of the summons is merely to question President Nasheed and obtain a written statement from him, we are of the opinion that the only safe course of action will be for President Nasheed to provide a written statement without physically entering the police station.”
The party expressed “extreme concern” for Nasheed’s “personal safety”, observing that he had been “assaulted by the police on various occasions since his resignation from office, and these instances are still being investigated by the Police Integrity Commission.”
Police responded by issuing a statement “to clear the allegations of possible torture, inhumane and degrading treatment by police, raised by the MDP and supporters of Nasheed, after a police summon notice was sent [to the former president].”
“The summon notice is for the investigation of a case lodged against Nasheed for inciting violence against law enforcement official since 29 May 2012. It is suspected that the civil disorder and several physical attacks committed against police officers, and the damages to police vehicles and infrastructures are the outcome of the call by Nasheed to commit such offences,” police stated.
“Thereby, Maldives Police Service has commenced an investigation and the summon notice was issued in furtherance of it, for Nasheed to appear on 02 August 2012 at 1000 hours. However, upon a request made by Nasheed, the time on the summon notice is delayed to 1400 hours on the same day.”
“The Maldives Police Service ensures the safety and security of Nasheed from the moment of his arrival to the police headquarters, and has invited the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, Police Integrity Commission, and Maldivian Democracy Network (an NGO) to observe police actions during Nasheed’s investigation process. The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives and Police Integrity Commission have accepted this offer.
“[The MPS] assures concerned parties and individuals that whoever is summoned to the police would be treated in accordance with the law; with dignity, respect for human rights and within police code of conduct and code of ethics.”
Protesters gather
Political tensions on the streets of Male’ rose as word spread of the former President’s impending summons.
Protesters initially gathered outside Nasheed’s family of residence, Canaryge, to block any attempts by police to arrest the former President.
However, by early afternoon Nasheed left for police headquarters in the company of his legal team, flanked by several hundred supporters.
After Nasheed entered Republic Square, police barricaded the surrounding streets leading to the large open area.
MDP supporters quickly gathered on the street of Chaandhanee Magu, a busy road full of stores directly aimed at tourists.
Nasheed left police headquarters around 5:40pm, joining more than a thousand cheering supporters gathered at the police barricades near Seagull cafe.
Reporters from the MDP-aligned Raajje TV meanwhile claimed not to have been allowed past police barricades with other media.
Jailhouse diplomacy
Nasheed resigned on February 7 amidst a police and military mutiny, after several weeks of protests by 300-400 opposition supporters over his detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed.
Following his resignation, the Criminal Court quickly issued a warrant for Nasheed’s arrest, however it was not acted upon by police after MDP supporters gathered outside his family residence.
The same day, police claimed to have discovered bottles of alcohol in the Presidential residence. That case, together with Nasheed’s detention of the judge, was sent to the Prosecutor General (PG)’s Office.
Earlier in July, the PG sent the judge case to Hulhumale’ magistrate court for trial, stating that filing it in the Criminal Court would represent a conflict of interest because it concerned the chief judge. However, the case was returned by the magistrate court, which claimed it was outside its jurisdiction.
Last week, police released a tapped phone conversation in which Nasheed was heard to call for supporters to “fight back” against police, after their dismantling of the party’s protest site at Usfasgandu on charges that the area was being used for the practice of black magic.
The arrest of Nasheed ahead of elections – early or otherwise – appears to be a ‘red line’ for many elements of the international community.
Canadian Foreign Ministry John Baird on July 27 accused the Maldivian government of seeking to arrest its political opponents and eliminate Nasheed’s candidacy in the upcoming election.
Baird, a member of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), noted that “the Maldives has been given the benefit of the doubt by the Commonwealth so far. Continued intimidation, illegal arrests and other authoritarian tactics by the present government may require the Commonwealth to consider a different approach, in our view.”
Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by claiming that the Canadian statement was “misleading”, and insisted that “it is the prerogative of the Prosecutor General to decide on whom and when to charge an individual of criminal offence.”
“Now that these institutions are independent, everyone, including our valuable friends in the international community, should be prepared to accept the decisions of these institutions,” the Ministry stated.
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such a biased report.
shame on you jj robinson.
Nasheed is a chicken. He needs all the MDP activists to accompany him when he is attending the Police station.
I wonder why he cannot live like a respectable statesman. Oh wait. I know he can't. He is just not the 'respectable statesman' stuff.
There were 200 supporters at the most. So we can say the support for MDP is dying.
LOL on Thu, 2nd Aug 2012 7:14 PM
^^^ fake LOL ^^^
jj claims that there were thousands of mdp protesters today while only 300-400 people came out to protest the kidnapping of the judge by nasheed. such bias from the editor of this site. can only guess the condition of other writers.
Voluntarily attends???
if it is voluntary, then why all the fuss???
talk about minivans vocabulary disorder???
1. there were 23.4 million supporters of Nasheed out on the streets today.
2. JJ robinson writes very unbiased and impatial reports especially when the report is about nasheed or mdp.
Indeed Mr. Robinson is very much biased for MDP. Its very much of a concern because he is the only one who contribute to the global news giant Reuters from Maldives.
Why you losers and haters cant digest the reality is obvious. President Nasheed has so much support the coup government is dead scared to hold free and fair elections. They dont care about the country but themselves. May Allah bless my country
that a large number of supporters did accompany pres.nasheed is a fact.does not matter as to the actual number...a perfect rendering of facts!
While Prez Nasheed's supporters are out rallying, the coup-backers at work commenting? Too funny comments!
this showes his law abiding example to everyone, simple walk to police HQ,!! bravo Nasheed !!!
JJ Robinson wrote a fair report on a globally watched matter my friends so don't hate him, ,,,
excuse jj..
the culprit Ablo ghazi couldn't even obey the summons, totally ignored his inquest,!! where are those who talk of Nasheed being unlawful now!!???
just mouthfuls of crap not ever believed no more accepted,
Nasheed proved he is the winner in or out of the circle of presidency cox he just has the love, n cheerfulness ladies!! what else a president needs?? any election now and he will smash all his opponents off the table!!
tick tick tick,,,,,,
times up for CONI, then,,,,
you know the rest if you dig!!!!!!
O people of the 'Coup Coalition Government' .. How many times do Nasheed has to show u ppl that his supporters outnumber your fake coalition government to digest that your coalition is the minority in this country? How many of your coalition supporters gathered at the latest demonstration held at artificial beach by a Psycho Nihaan to call for the arrest of our beloved president Nasheed? 2 billion?? If u r a coallition show your power not by force and lies.. O and when a dictator who ruled the country for 30 years was summoned to police for the first time he went there all alone hehe.. When will you ppl ever learn??JJ u r doing just the right thing by letting the world know the truth.. Dont be discouraged by some punks who hates truth.. Bravo JJ! Dont stop the news of truth "Minivan"
his law abiding example?
he passed a resolution by his rubber stamp MDP congress that he will not honour the police summon. wonder what made him change his mind. anyway he is always like that. doing this and that. never consistent.
@ simple and honest
FYI: maumoon didnt attend the police all alone. he was accompanied by his team of lawyers.
anyways whats the use of carrying a crowd like a pipette piper when called to the police headquater for a criminal investigation? me thinks that anyone carrying a violent gang to the police must be already feeling guilty for the accused crime!
'me' - learn to read dear. the article states 'several hundred supporters'. Dolt. If only you mvcoup supporters could put your numbers where your mouth is and have the balls to face an election.
For once I agree with the MDP.
This was a pointless and petty exercise.
My view on this is;
(a) the government should not be abusing police wire-tapping capabilities to target political rivals. This was wrong when it was done by the Nasheed-regime and it is wrong when it is being done by the current government. For the readers who are not informed of the background of this problem, the Nasheed-regime first abused police intel facilities by leaking telephone conversations between MPs Qasim Ibrahim, Abdulla Yamin, Mohamed Nasheed and Ahmed Nazim to the media. Now the current regime has done the same by leaking a telephone conversation between Ex-President Mohamed Nasheed and MP Mariya Ahmed Didi. The common strand between the two incidents is that the objective appears to be merely character-assassination.
(b) Nasheed has done no wrong merely by discussing a crime over the telephone (that should have been privileged communication in the first place). How many of us have actually discussed lashing out at other people in the course of a conversation with our friends? Several I am sure. How many of us were actually serious? None.
(c) This only serves to increase tensions among society creating further divisions among the people.
(d) Another negative side-effect is that the institution of police becomes or appears to be more politicized in the process.
Well done Andrew Cox! Well done Naaz! Look at the mess you have created by supporting this coup government. No statement from Andrew Cox condemning all of this!!!
Wow, what hysterical people MDP has??
this will get really ugly in the next six or so years, and hope it does..
both sides are to blame
Police Court???? Back to Old Man's 30's
Biggest dilemma in the world perhaps. So itching to do the following:
Arresting Nasheed
This can't be done because the country could erupt into chaos
Cutting down on his remuneration
This can't be done because Gayoom will suffer the same.
Nasheed should be summoned to police.
This so traumatic to police, the way needs to be blocked and open at the same time.
Completion of any development project
this can't be done because credit goes to Nasheed
An election
Election is a must but this government and partners are already poised to loose miserably. People waiting for revenge for having let their government down.
Being President and Ministers
Honour is no longer associated with them
Staying is doom and resigning is doom
HELP!! HELP!!
What a tragedy have committed.
@twilight:
Nasheed is a political pea when it comes to the Presidential elections.
His only hope is to increase his share of the vote up to the level where he can make an affiliation with a stronger candidate to secure a share in government.
The current government has on the most part succeeded in defaming Nasheed to the point where any election will be skewed against him. Even the upper echelons of the MDP have accepted this as fact.
His calls for an early election are on the most part to ensure that the MDPs share of the vote is not so minimal as to deny them the opportunity to make a coalition a la Ibra-2008.
Am sure it's better if we stay optimistic !!
The reality facing this coup now is one very scary one therefore, no retreat, no surrender!!
so, this regime is actually enjoying spending cash on baaghy police, so y give them a chance!!
no more fighting, but, a date for election or an immediate n unconditional referendum this September on election n change constitution, or no election n ,,,,,,, wait till 2013,
it's merely the best logical half way chance fo a falling coup gov. nothing was in favour of any individual last 6 months, do u think if everyone just stops paying GST what will happen??!!
now or never!!!!
this coup gov. doesn't realise time is short, day by day those fearsome fights will be worse, n it's like two brothers fight each other for color, when they need to fight side by side in war!!
Attention all proud Maldivian armed forces, n all armed local forces, pls stop, think, ask!! why are we doing this? do we really need to be this aggressive with already injured n battered souls of our country!! do we really want them to fear us, not respect n love us, ??
No one wants to be feared more than a fearful man !!!
you should be walking head high in honor, not head high after a crime,
you should stand tall in front of a criminal, not innocent old, younge, woen n men of your blood,,,
stop, think, ask!!!!!!
a new way to see things crystal clear!!!
Nasheed was supposed to attend at 2pm and he stayed at the Sagaru park for one hour and then went to police around 3 pm. If he was so peaceful and honorable man, why would not he went on time and why did he waited at the park to steer-up MDP thugs and then tried to make a big scene out of this.
Even after he came out from the police station, he lied to the public saying that police never questioned him about the phone call ? This was mere lie and he went there and did talk on his own agenda and never bothered to answer any of the question that Police asked. He still thinks that he is above the law and law need to be changed to suit to him.
He had also proven his continuos threat to policemen on the same day. There was a video clip taken on the same day and the guy might be on drug when he openly threaten the policeman and asking him to show his ID and then telling the poor policeman that " you are the man and be careful and we are watching you closely " . I hope that this Anni the thugs leader does not send his thugs to kill this policeman.
@justice4all: "No one wants to be feared more than a fearful man..." (justice4all on minivan news comment: Sat, 4th Aug 2012 5:48 AM)
Not exactly Harvard referencing...
But I wanted to make the point that I found your above referenced sentence to be powerful and insightful, loved it, very clever thank you...
@ tsk tsk
One does not have to be so cut off from the political reality.
Spreading lies and defaming someone does not mean reality is illusive to the commonfolk by litening to and and watching propaganda. True, most of the media sponsored by the current governments agents are spreading blatant lies. Look at the impact, Even the neural people are gradually and openly leaning towards MDP.
To please your conscience, you may say Nasheed is a political peanut, but the this close knit society by nature unhides the concealed and distorted truth in no time.
Is this a government? Do your in your right mind believe Nasheed would have resigned even if police and military did not mutiny. You need to define mutiny first. Maldivians do believe in the unseen, but the following is never blind. Had been blind years ago but no longer. So guys like you need some basic education to have an open mind free from prejudice. MDP popularity is soaring just because truth is on their side.
M
Anni thought he could again come back after resigning like he did with the cabinet.
Anni resigned under pressure from opposition parties but the guy does not have the guts to do things within the constitution.
Majority of the Maldivian wanted him to resign.
He thinks that he is ultimate power holder in this cow try and rest of the people are nuts and do not know anything and all of maldives is behind the fellow.
But he was wrong and the majority want him out and that's it.
I don't understand how some uneducated people dare to comment here ? Go to local haveeru and sun news and write in dhivehi please. I feel ashamed to read you inappropriate English. Sounds more like Gasim is talking in English! Please do some English language course!
Especially these people who uses the name mody, mode and Shimy. I feel sorry for you guys.
thanx Ben!!