Prominent Maldivian blogger and journalist Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed is in a critical condition after he was stabbed in the neck near his house in Male’ on Monday evening.
Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef confirmed that Rasheed was stabbed around 8:15pm and was undergoing emergency treatment in ADK hospital.
No arrests have been made, “however there is CCTV in the area and we are trying to get something on it,” Haneef stated.
Police had cordoned off the area around the blood-stained pavement at time of press. There was on Monday evening no indication as to the motivation of the attack.
An informed source at ADK hospital said Rasheed was bleeding but conscious when he was brought to the hospital, and that he was expected to remain in surgery until 2:30am.
“They slit his throat clean through the trachea, and missed a vital artery by millimetres,” the source said, around 11:30pm, giving Rasheed a “five percent chance … It doesn’t look good.”
Early on Tuesday morning the source reported that Rasheed’s condition had stabilised: “He’ll be in intensive care for a couple of days. He’s breathing through a tube now.”
Sub-Inspector Haneef said a second individual was stabbed in the back at 11:00pm near Male’s garbage dump and had been taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in a critical condition. Local media reported that the victim was believed to be a Bangladeshi national.
Second attack
Rasheed, a once outspoken blogger against extremism and former editor of newspaper Haveeru, was previously attacked by a group of men on December 10, 2011 – Human Rights Day – while attending a protest calling for religious tolerance.
A group of men attacked the protesters with stones, and Rasheed was taken to IGMH with a fractured skull.
He was subsequently arrested by police for questioning over his involvement in the protest gathering, and jailed for over three weeks.
Amnesty International declared him a ‘prisoner of conscience’, and said it was “dismayed that instead of defending Ismail ‘Khilath’ Rasheed, who has peacefully exercised his right to freedom of the expression, the government of Maldives has detained him. Moreover, the government has taken no action to bring to justice those who attacked the ‘silent’ demonstrators, even though there is credible photographic evidence of the attack.”
The Foreign Ministry subsequently called for an investigation “by relevant authorities” into the attack on the protest.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also condemned both the December 10 attack on Rasheed and his arrest, noting that he was not only one of the country’s leading free speech advocates, but one of the few Maldivians bloggers to write under his own name.
“The Maldivian constitution bans the promotion of any religion other than Islam but guarantees freedom of assembly and expression as long as it does not contravene Islam. Rasheed professes to be an adherent of Sufism, which emphasises the inner, spiritual dimension of Islam,” RSF stated at the time.
Censored blogger
Rasheed’s popular and controversial blog, www.hilath.com, was blocked in November 2011 by the Communications Authority of the Maldives (CAM) on the order of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The Ministry made the request on the grounds that the site contained anti-Islamic material, CAM confirmed at the time.
Hilath claimed he was being censored for expressing his version of Islam, and called for more freedom of interpretation within the faith.
“I call upon all concerned to amend the clause in the constitution which requires all Maldivians to be Sunni Muslims only,” his statement read. “‘Unto you your religion and unto me my religion,’ and ‘There is no compulsion in religion’,” he said, quoting Qur’an 109:6 and 2:256.
Hilath claimed at the time that the blocking of his website had a political edge: “If Sunni Muslims are the conservatives, then the Sufi Muslims are the liberals,” he told Minivan News. “I think this is a conservative attack on the site. They think if you’re not a Sunni, you’re an unbeliever.”
Following the blocking of his blog and his attack in December, Rasheed became less outspoken on the subject of religion and withdrew from the public spotlight.
On May 12 he tweeted his intention to stop blogging altogether, and stated that he had “repented and am now a Muslim. But a very tolerant one at that.”
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Our prayers are with you Hilath, get well soon. This was a brutal attack on innocence and freedom of speech. This is only possible in the new Maldives and brutal dictatorship of now.
The police must arrest the people who attacked at artificial beach earlier, as they may have connection to the attack. it is a religious faction in Furqaan mosque (a tent mosque in flat area) who attacked Hilath earlier and sworn to kill him. I also call the government to investigate Furqaan mosque and arrest the suspects who have given Hilath death threats.
How do you actually know if anyone per say is actually behind these attacks, there actually is a possibility it could be random incident, had lost a person close to home over an incident like this,
but regardless prayers to him
and irresponsible journalism to suggest otherwise without actually knowing all the facts, because this is a huge allegation
Who could be the culprits; of cause there is the signature of extremists.
Sheikh Imran and co will be laughing now!
hilath had actually filed a report with the police after he was attacked by a group who came out of Furgan mosque (next to Haveeru news paper)... he was late contacted by the group and requested that he withdraw his complaints from police and threatened .... hence, Hilath's statement on twitter on face boon about his acceptance, etc. The police cannot claim there are no suspects....
This is not the time for speculation and finger-pointing.
My prayers are with Hillath and his family. May god grant Hillath a speedy recovery and patience to his loved ones.
Please people, show some decency and rise above Minivan's opportunism. Let's not politicize this as well.
@tsk tsk
This is your country now and you demanded that we all "embrace islam" and then you used guns to take what you wanted. This has gone too far now dont you dare try and deny the extreme hatred and unrest that you and your cronies stirred up!! What a mess you created.
Blood is on the hands of the new regime and their divisive extreme religious hatred. This is the country they want us to live in!
My prayers are with you.
Blessings and prayers.
Its a crying shame that Hilath was arrested for the gathering at Artificial beach, while his attackers never got arrested. This is how intolerant some sections of the society has become. Islam does not advocate this, going around attacking people whose opinion differs to yours. I have a hard time believing this is related to gang violence, this smacks more like an attack on him because of his outspokenness on religious measures. Lets not forget people had called for him to be killed on various occasions. And there is a very sick cartoon on FB by this siru arts almost celebrating his demise. Sick indeed. Lets not bury our heads in the sand and everyone should address this extremist problem among our midst. The police seems to be running around after political people while all this takes place under their noses. Shame on the police, the courts and the government that they can't do anything about this. Yes they are also to blame. Hope Hilath gets well soon, there are many among us who admire him for having the guts to voice his own opinions. We might not have always agreed with what he said, but no one can deny he was one rare voice of dissent in an area everyone was afraid of speaking out on. We can only pray now.
This is tragic. I wish Hilath a speedy recovery. Hilath has a right to air his views and opinion on everything including religion. Maldives is climbing to new heights in terms of intolerance and extremism and this is a clear example of that. Those who deny that are trying to hide the truth.
It's ludicrous that the millions of MRf spend on Police training are wasted on finding packets of condom in areas of MDP protests! The Police have spent 1000 times more manpower and effort into demolishing and searching the MDP protest area than on the stabbing and killing of innocent people on the streets of this country.
This should alarm everyone. The regime has completely lost the plot, just like it had before 2008. Protecting the regime at any cost seems to be the priority.
there are people who deserve to live and who deserves not to. people who cause corruption in the land do not deserve to live. causing corruption is worse than spilling blood.
in the case of hillath, he was advocating gay rights, was slandering muslims and islam, was trying to get personal attention to himself any how. this time he seems to have got more attention than he has asked
Shame on our Police force! What's the point of spending so much of our money on a bunch of idiots who can't even gather some very obvious suspects for questioning! Anyone who gave death threats are suspects and that is exactly why we shouldn't go around threatening people!
Where is our President Waheed who seemed so confident that the country was settling in after the coup?! Is this what settling in means?! And where are our MPs, and the human rights institutions?! Dhiyana Saeed & Azra, do you even know what human rights means?! Stop condemning violations and get your act together and actually do something about it! You are not paid high wages and given an insitution to run to sit on your chair and condemn acts! DO SOMETHING!
wish Hilath Rasheed a speedy recovery.
މިއީ ޖަންގަލީގައި ކަންތައް ހިނގާ އުސޫލު. ޝަރީއަތަށް މައްސަލައެއް ހުށަހަޅައިގެން އިންސާފެއް ނުލިބޭ. ތިމާޔާ ޚިޔާލް ތަފާތުވާ މީހުން މެރުމަށް ޢާންމުންގެ ގިނަބަޔަކު ވަރަށް ފާޅުކަންބޮޑުގޮތެއްގައި އެބަގޮވާ. އަދި އެކަން އެދަނީ ޢަމަލުން ދައްކަމުން. މިކަންކަން ހައްލުކުރުމުގައި ފުލުހުންނާއި ކޯޓުތައް ވަނީ ނުކުޅެދިފަ. އެބައިމީހުންނަށް ކުރެވޭހާ ވެސް ކަމަކީ ވަކިބަޔަކު ހިމާޔަތްކުރުން. އެންމެ ކޮރަޕްޓް މީހުންނާއި، ޑްރަގް ލޯޑުން ނާއި އެކިކަހަލަ ނޭއްގާނީ ޢަމަލުތައް ހިންގާ މީހުންދެކެ ޚުދު ޝަރުޢީ ނިޒާމު ވެސް ޖެހިލުންވޭ. އެހެން އެވަނީ ޓް ޕްރޮޓެކްޓް އެންޑް ސާރވް އޭ ކިޔާފަ އައިސް ރައްޔިތުމީހާ ތަޅާ ރޯނާގަންނަވާލާ ދިފާޢީ ބާރެއް އުފެދިފައިވާތީ. އެކަން މިހާރު އެދަނީ ހައްދުން ނެއްޓެމުން. ކޯޓު ތަކަކީ ވަކިވަކި ދަޢުލަތްތަކެއް ގޮތުގައި އަމިއްލައަށް ދެކި، ޤާނޫނެއް، ޤާނޫނު އަސާސީއެއް، ދަޢުލަތެއް ކޯޓުތަކުގެ ކުރިމަތީގައި ނެތީމައި ދެންވާނެ ހަތަރެތި މިވަނީ.
މިހާރު ވެސް ކްރިމިނަލް ކޯޓުގައި އެއްކަލަ ޢަބްދުﷲ މުޙައްމަދު އެހުރީ. އޭނާ އެހުރީ ކުރީގެ ހެލްތް މިނިސްޓަރު ޑރ. އާމިނަތު ޖަމީލަށް ޖެއްސުންކުރުމަށް ޤާތިލަކު ދޫކޮއްލާފަ. އެ ޤާތިލު އަނެއްކާ 7 ދުވަސްތެރޭ އިތުރު މީހަކު މަރާލި. އެކަމުން ހިއްވަރު ލިބިގެން ޖެހިގެން އައި 3 މަސްތެރޭ 5 މީހުން މަރާލެވުނު. މިކަހަލަ ޤާތިލުންނަށް ހިއްވަރުދީ ޤާތިލުން ދޫކުރާ މީހަކު، މުޖުތަމަޢުގެ ރައްކަލަށްޓަކާ އެކަހެރި ކުރީމައި ވެސް ބަޔަކު ނިދި ނައިސްގެން އޭނަ ސަލާމަތްކުރަން ނުކުމެ މުޅި ސަލާމަތީ ބާރުތަކަށް ޖެއްސުންކޮށް، ދަޢުލަތައް އެތައް ބޮޑެތި ގެއްލުން ދިން. މިކަންކަން ކުރީ ޢަބްދުﷲ މުޙައްމަދު ސިފައިންގެ ބެލުމުގެ ދަށުގައި ބެހެއްޓީއޭ ކިޔައިގެން. އެކަމަކު އޭނަ އެހެން ހުރި އިރު ބަޔަކު ނުމަރައޭ.
އެހެންވީމާ މިއިން އެނގެނީ ދިގު 30 އަހަރުގެ ކޮރަޕްޓް ވެރިންނަކީ ކޮރަޕްޝަނާއި، ފަސާދައިން ފެންވަރައިގެން ތިބި ނޭއްގާނީ ބައެއްކަން. މިބައިމީހުންގެ ބާރު މިރާއްޖޭގެ ރައްޔިތުންގެ މައްޗައްް ހިނގަންޏަކާ މިރާއްޖެ ރަނގަޅެއް ނުވާނެ. ރައްޔިތުން އެބަޖެހޭ މިކަންކަމާއި ފުންކޮށް ވިސްނައިގެން މިބައިމީހުންގެ ވަކިތަކުން ދިވެހި ރާއްޖެ ސަލާމަތްކުރަން.
MDP will be using the opportunity to point fingers at the religious scholars now and calling to stop police brutality.
Suspects are from Furuqaan Mosque. Furuqaa mosque is now been operated by a group of drug addicts, now claim themselves as religious pious people. These people have earlier warned Hilath that he will be killed.
It is funny that people still think the institutions, like police judiciary works with human civilized norms. This bunch of so called police of ape society condones these acts as are justified by Islamic principles and they must be praising those who were behind this barbaric action for doing religious obligation to kill anti Islamic elements. You are talking about a force who goes witch hunting in 21st century, who believes in it.
Maldives has descended into a barbaric era of unchecked crime and anarchy. The govt knows everything about this incident , but will not do anything.
Xahid Creator - a notorious blogger of #mvcoup writes "Hilath deserved to be stabbed"
what more u need to say : the regime is behind all these attacks against activists
dozens stabbed every year in Male' now! there is no evidence to link this to extremists yet... but as its this website's editorial policy to bring even the smallest thing that could attract rants against Islam, the article has been written in a very cunning style.
We all know that it was the wahhabis who did this. Has anyone seen Siru Arts blog? It's easy to get within their circles on the internet and see what's going on. But what are the authorities going to do when it comes to 'Islam'. I hope this news goes international. First, a young man was bullied and harassed into suicide, another was almost killed by a mob after he declared apostasy on television, and now this.
The UN should remove the Maldives from any human rights related councils immediately.
I would also put the blame on each and every single 'sheikh' in the Maldives. They spread hate, and speak of the great rewards people like the stabbers get when they murder innocent lives to 'protect' islam.
wives and concubines..
even the name this guy is using is an a common tactic the ignorants use to slander against islam. So many stabbings, so many murders has happened in this country and yet somehow its the 'sheikh's who are to blame this time. whats wrong with you people? you think others don't have brains. i have been following these local athiest bloggers for quite sometime and i can tell that what they disseminate from their blogs are far more worse than any type of hatred you can think of. Hillath by comparison to other kaafir bloggers is moderate especially in things he write under his own name. god only knows how many identities he use to slander muslims.
Secularism now! these people will just use religion as a tool to control the masses. everyone knows its wrong, but no one wants to say anything against it, there will be a tipping point ..soon, where we will stand up for our rights
Slandering Islam you say?
Well then God must have been incompetent to create a flawed human who speaks against his wishes. So its HIS fault.
Just think a bit. Why should a person be punished for a flaw implanted by the creator himself?
get well soon, hilath
I totally can't seems to fathom why as educated as we want to sound and still listen to the Wahabees, who marry every little kid they come across and molest little children get such high reputation and rewards by the present government, POLICE and Maldivians. Isn't it time to wake up and be a more accepting society if you all want to be called a modern moderate Muslim society that cares and loves your neighbors and society at large.
Do we have to follow a bunch of guys that say they are so learned that they can act and behave like Thugs that do all the illegal activities in the Maldives and still get away because our Police/MNDF force cannot do their job of policing for the right of its citizens. The courtsystems needs a lot of changes before JUSTICE can be prevailed in the Maldives.
this is the work of thunbulhi group... wahhabis.. the guys who down their bears and don't shower for days.. never use toothpaste, etc. w cannot all become like them sorry...
now i am scared for those other people like hilath rasheed they should be more vigilant now. while murder is on the rise in the maldives mybe these ppl startd targeting ppl like hilath now.minivannews journalist and everyone must get body gaurds. be on the run/ better yet . leave this country.. i dont want to c u guys stabbed
There are suspects and police force knows them. They know people who have threatened to Kill Hilath, and they know those who attacked him in the first instance. If the police clearly say they do not have suspects, then I can assume police force is either involved or supported this attack. Those involved in this crime should be brought to justice.
To the animals who did this, you attacked a man of peace with knives, only the most cowardly of all creatures could attack the innocent. The ppl who did this are the most disgusting cowardly trash in the world!
Hilath is truly a hero, he had the courage to stand and vent his heart for freedom, knowing fully well that his stand was going to cause him pain. It takes true courage, true soul, to absorb pain and attacks for freedom, rather than to be the attacker for tyranny...
You who did this want to destroy life in the Maldives because you are already dead, death feeds on death. What is inside you, that deep fear, deep hatred, is not life, it is emptiness. The life that you were born with was killed off through rejection, repression years ago, what is left is a wall of hatred, a wall of hatred to hide the essence of your being - because the essence of your being is fear, cowardliness, these things the antithesis of kindness and caring!
Hilath will live forever because he is a man who knew kindness, that, I know, and only kindness is life, only kindness is eternal!
Dr. Waheed must condemn this attack, and arrest the perpetrators. He must take action to prevent further violence. As the President of the Maldives, I am watching to see whether Waheed is a good man, or not. His reaction to this, for me, will be what will make my mind up about who he Waheed is.
The Maldives has 21st century methods of controlling people with this illegal regime and we now take our orders from 1st century literature and religious extremism. Anni was right. Utter Madness.
CMAG, UN, AMENESTY INTERNATIONAL, INDIA, US and any Human Rights organisations, please intervene and do something!!
I dont see any logical reason why Hilath would have been stabbed but for his views, a lot of which i don't necessarily agree with.
A lot of us had already known this day would come, and a lot of us had been talking about it for nearly 5 years.
People who believe they understand the problems of society (like me i guess) chose to do nothing, letting them spin out of control while watching, waiting and complaining.
The choice now appears simple: FIGHT or LEAVE.
similar to 9/11" hilath's stabbing" is an inside job
Exactly YES!
Many Maldivians believe that Commonwealth, UN, AMENESTY INTERNATIONAL, INDIA, US and any Human Rights organizations must not keep watching what's going-on in the Maldives. It's their duty to prevent the Maldives from the dirty businessmen, politicians and Police & Military officers who ousted the elected President of this country
Lets see if the police can leave their crows and condoms and find the assailants. I doubt it. Speedy recovery to brave Hilath Rasheed.
Peace! Does anyone know the meaning of "Peace"?
btw, Q is: ARAB LEADERS, EUROPEANS, COMMONWEALTH, UN, AMENESTY INTERNATIONAL, ASIAN LEADERS, US & AMERICA's,ETC and any or all Human Rights organizations": ARE they really in the league of what they preach?
Where are they when there are 1's, 10's,100's, 1000's, 10000's,100000's , 1000000's, 1000000000's are suffering & deprived of basic human rights "food, shelter, clothing"..."pure water, clean environment" away from intimidation and deceptions of the real culprits "THE WAST MAJORITY OF SO CALLED POLITICIANS, LEADERS, SCHOLARS, PROFESSORS, SCIENTISTS, TYCOONS, ETC".. They are controlling the world affairs and only with deceptions shows "Religion" or any beloved groups as Evil. Evil is their Plan, Evil is their Desires, their Ego, AND also I can put that in context the wast majority of News Media, and other Deceptive Medium that spreads HATRED, ANGER, AND VIOLENCE Through Deceptive reporting.
THIS ARTICLE IS ONE OF THAT! I CAN SEE THE HALLMARK OF DECEPTION IN IT!
TRUST THE ONE! THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF ALL DECEPTIONS.
May Hilath Recover well, and May The Creator of Peace, The Universe Guide him, and us all to "SURE REALITY" The "TRUTH". May the "Deceivers" face the reward of all their doings.
Peace!
an 'inside job' i mean those apostates who support hilath like muhammed nasheed of kenereege and the lot who follow his 'devil cult'
Mini van, & the Bunch! You were adviced Once, Twice, Thrice, ... but heeded not, so, you leader had to face the reality in disgust and thrown away by the other deceptive so called oppositions of the Rajje. So, Still you don't want to accept the Truth?
You and the Bunch missed and messed the opportunity to resolve the corrupt "Judiciary" during 2010, Only to see them coming behind and "stabbing you in Yr 2012".
Still, Will you sit,and stand and shout out the deceptions?
Please! No one now really believes in what you say. If there are people behind you they are only "Fighting for their own freedom from the deceptions of Your's and the other Parties".. They are all to ONE & ONLY. Make no mistake about it. Your beloved companions had more than 500Yrs, and especially the last 100+ Yrs you have unleashed the ruthless ideas of Deception. No, Dear.. This is the End for it, Take the word for your Dear Lady at BP. She'll understand it better than you.
Bismuth is an Element, If you choose to come after me , There'll be the whole league of Elements Hopefully against You and the other Deceivers.
Sure Reality is none is Grater than the Creator!
Peace!
yep right on
It's all fine and dandy to say let's not make social issues political. But if you live here, or if you keep a close eye on what goes around here, then you'd be crazy to think this attack was not related to politics (or religion, for that matter. Politics and religion are no longer separable here in the Maldives).
Yes, Bismuth, we know you and your drug-peddling pals are plotting to murder the minivannews group. For that is the only way you can achieve your so-called peace - the 'peace' of total silence of dissent against your colonialist invasion.
@Abdulla Zayyid,
Thanks for your comment! however you are mistaken.You didn't read me correctly.so, be it, buddy!.tc,peace! 🙂
@Bismuth on Tue, 5th Jun 2012 4:51 PM
"Sure Reality is none is Grater than the Creator!"
And who'd that be? Who is this Great Creator that you speak of? Stop smoking crack and come down to planet earth!
Hilath's twit on 14th May
"Hilath Rasheed @hilath
I would rather not discuss how I found my way back to faith because it's a personal journey of self-discovery, unique for every one. Try it."
Very bad news.
http://coordinamentosudasia.blogspot.it/2012/06/maldive-prominent-blogger-hilath.html
The Maldives will not fall into the hands of extremists. The Maldives will not be ruled by fear and terror. We have always been a peaceful people but we have also always been quite easily manipulated. Times are changing and people are waking up. These so called "religious" do not know what respect is. Respect is not given just because you have a beard, respect is not given just because you claim to be holier than the rest of us. The "moderates" are just as bad as the "extremists" for not speaking out against the latter. What happened to spiritual religion? What happened to love? Instead the religion that is pushed onto us preaches nothing but hate and revels in the pain of fellow mortals. Islam can be beautiful but it has been twisted so much that I wonder why "moderates" would even think to associate with these animals. Is it really apostates such as myself that are a threat to the country or is it these extremists? Is it us that are trying to manipulate your emotions for political gains? Did we ask to take away any of your rights except the right to intolerance? The line has been drawn, blood has been spilt. It's time to seriously think about the impact fear is having on our society. Do you sincerely believe this attack is something to be celebrated? Is this how things are going to work out now? You speak, you die? I hope Hilath has a speedy recovery because even though I do not believe in your gods I am not heartless.