abduction – Minivan News

No evidence linking reported abduction to Rilwan disappearance, says police

The police have said that there is no evidence linking the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan in August last year to a reported abduction outside his apartment in Hulhumalé.

Rilwan’s neighbours had reported seeing a man forced into a red car at knifepoint outside the apartment building in the early hours of August 8, at the same time he would have reached home.

In a statement released today, the police said they have received DNA analysis of samples taken from three cars suspected to have been used in the abduction, but could not “conclusively state” that there was a connection between the incident and Rilwan’s disappearance.

“We also note that this analysis did not provide any evidence of a link to the suspects previously arrested in this case,” the police said.

Four suspects had been arrested in October and one suspect was held in police custody for five weeks, but the Criminal Court transferred him to house arrest in November.

One of the suspects was among a group of 12 Maldivian jihadis who traveled to Syria in January. The group also included Azlif Rauf, a suspect in the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali in October 2012, who reportedly died while fighting in Syria in mid-May.

An investigative report published by Maldivian Democratic Network had identified Azlif’s brother Arlif Rauf as the owner of the red car which may have been used in Rilwan’s suspected abduction.

The report implicated radicalised gangs in Rilwan’s disappearance and confirmed evidence of possible “hostile surveillance” at the terminal conducted by two known affiliates of Malé-based Kuda Henveiru gang led by the Rauf brothers.

Home minister Umar Naseer had also also acknowledged involvement of criminal gangs in the case.

Today’s police statement meanwhile follows Rilwan’s family backing an opposition proposal for an independent inquiry last week. The family also announced plans to hold a march on August 8 to mark one year after Rilwan’s disappearance.

The police vowed to continue efforts to find the missing journalist and the investigation into his disappearance “no matter how long it takes” and urged anyone with information to come forward.

Rilwan’s disappearance was “one of the cases that police investigation teams gave the highest priority to and spent the most time investigating in 2014,” the police said.

Police investigators have questioned 198 people, obtained statements from more than 80 individuals, and retrieved more than 293 hours of CCTV video footage, the statement noted.

The police also searched public spaces, closed areas, and industrial areas in Hulhumalè, the statement continued, and searched more than 50 places in the suburb with court warrants.

In a press release last week, Rilwan’s family provided an update of activities conducted in the past year.

A petition with 5,500 signatures calling for a speedy investigation was submitted to the parliament last year, but is stalled at a parliamentary committee. The family said they met with commissioner of police Hussein Waheed last week and last met with home minister Umar Naseer and the police investigating team in May.

The Police Integrity Commission was asked to investigate police negligence in October last year, but the oversight body has yet to produce a report.

The family has also submitted a petition with the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances in September last year.

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MDN alerts PIC over failure to investigate criminal activity in missing journalist report

Human rights group Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) has requested the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) to probe police’s failure to investigate dangerous criminal activity outlined in a report into the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.

The report – which claimed Rilwan was likely to have been abducted by radicalised gangs – was sent to the police on September 22 along with a letter requesting the police investigate its findings, MDN said.

The police proceeded to dismiss the report, however, claiming it was released for “political gain,” and has not yet informed the NGO if it has looked into any of the allegations.

The investigation – conducted by Glasgow based Athena Intelligence and Security – identified possible suspects in Rilwan’s disappearance, and confirmed hostile surveillance of Rilwan on the night he went missing. It also linked his disappearance to an abduction at knifepoint outside Rilwan’s apartment on the same night.

“The Maldives Police Services failed to investigate the various criminal actions outlined in the report in the past 2 months and 26 days,” MDN’s letter to the PIC on Monday read.

“We request that your commission investigate and take action against those police officers who have been negligent in this case.” Criminal activity highlighted in the report include:

Death threats issued against Rilwan by the administrators of Facebook Group Bilad Al-Sham and stalking by an individual called Ismail Abdul Raheem
Abduction with a knife reported on August 8 in front of Rilwan’s apartment
Hostile surveillance of Rilwan by at least two people belonging to Kuda Henveiru gang in Malé

Home Minister Umar Naseer has also acknowledged involvement of gangs in Rilwan’s disappearance. Meanwhile, Rilwan’s family has also lodged a complaint at the PIC accusing the Maldives Police Services of negligence.

The police had failed to treat the case seriously despite Rilwan’s high risk profile, the family said. Although an abduction reported outside Rilwan’s apartment at 2 am on August 8, the police only took statements from eyewitnesses on August 14, the family noted.

Further, the police officer in charge of the Hulhumalé police station prevented junior officers from apprehending and searching the car used in the abduction on the same night, the family said.

“If the abduction had been investigated immediately at the right time, the police would have been able to find the victim and clarify if it is our brother or not,” Rilwan’s sister Mariyam Fazna has said.

The police only searched Rilwan’s apartment 29 hours after the abduction was reported and searched his office 11 days afterwards. The police also failed to make a public announcement on Rilwan’s disappearance – despite a request by the family – and did not inform the public on how to act if they had any information related to the case, the family explained further.

In a statement to mark the 100 days of disappearance, Rilwan’s mother Aminath Easa said the state had failed to protect her son and bring perpetrators to justice.

Police Commissioner Hussain Waheed had previously denied negligence while the home minister told state television that some crimes could not be solved.

Missing journalist’s family accuses police of negligence, files complaint

“The old posters fade, but we do not forget,” says Rilwan’s family

“Not all crimes in the world are solvable”: Home minister says on Rilwan’s disappearance

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MDP condemns insecurity as PPM celebrates peace and order

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has expressed concern over rising insecurity, claiming President Abdulla Yameen has failed to protect right to life and security on his administration’s first year anniversary.

In a statement issues yesterday (November 16), the MDP highlighted Yameen’s failure to find missing Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan, to address the rising numbers of Maldivians traveling abroad for jihad in Syria, or to bring to justice perpetrators behind the stabbing of former MP Alhan Fahmy, the murder of MP Afrasheem Ali, or the torching of opposition aligned Raajje TV.

“On this administration’s one year anniversary, there is no peace in the Maldives and the government has failed to protect citizens,” the statement said.

The MDP said the Yameen administration has failed to investigate the abduction and beating of several individuals by gangs, a spate of knifings and killings, death threats against journalists and politicians, and the vandalism of MDP members’ residences and properties.

However, speaking at a rally to mark the third anniversary of ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), Yameen said his administration has established peace and order in the country and accused the opposition of inciting terror and calling for anarchy in the Maldives.

“We have peace and order in Malé and all regions of Maldives. We have peace. However, this is not to say that isolated and significant dangerous crimes do not occur,” he said.

The PPM was established in 2010 “as an act of Jihad” to address terror, anarchy, torture and climate of fear during Nasheed’s tenure, he continued.

Referring to Nasheed’s order to arrest himself, Vice President Dr Ahmed Jameel Mohamed, and Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim, Yameen said the former president had attempted to silence all dissident voices in the country.

The PPM will tolerate dissent, he pledged.

Nasheed had arrested judges, refused to abide by the decisions of opposition MPs, undermined religious scholars and Islam, and his supporters had torched government buildings, Yameen continued.

“President Maumoon then believed we had to embark on jihad,” he said.

Yameen went on to defend Nasheed’s ouster in February 2012, claiming the move was not illegal, but necessary to uphold the constitution.

“PPM is a party that loves peace,” he said.

The MDP has recently described Yameen’s administration has having been taken hostage by gangs and rogue police officers, while international groups have expressed alarm at the rise in gang violence in recent months.

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One hundred days of sorrow: Missing Moyameehaa

This article first appeared on DhivehiSitee.com. Republished with permission

“You run back and forth listening for unusual events,
peering into the faces of travelers.
“Why are you looking at me like a madman?”
I have lost a friend. Please forgive me.” – Rumi

Sunday will be the 100th day since Ahmed Rizwan (Rilwan) Abdulla, @moyameehaa, was abducted. Time has dragged, weighted down by the burden of not knowing. Between then and now much, yet nothing, has happened. The posters brightening a thousand walls with Rilwan’s smile have faded with the sun and dissolved with the rain. Five thousand men and women put pen to paper, ‘Good Sir, kind Madam, please find Rilwan,’ they begged. At least as many thousand Tweets have echoed round the world: ‘#Findmoyameehaa, #Findoyameehaa.’ Hundreds of friends and supporters have marched on Male’s streets with the question: ‘Where is Rilwan?’ Scores have met many miles away in Melbourne and in New York, asking the same question.

Rilwan’s mother has said, to any ears that would listen, ‘I am poor, but my love makes Rilwan a priceless treasure. Please find him for me.’ Hundreds have felt her tears roll down their faces. ‘He is alive,’ Rilwan’s father has insisted. His mind has been far from the assorted fruits and vegetables he sells at the local market. ‘How do you know?’ ask customers who have stopped to listen. Without batting an eyelid he has said, ‘I asked a clairvoyant.’

It may seem odd, approaching a clairvoyant to look for a son abducted in this technologically advanced twenty first century. But when the natural world makes no sense, the supernatural often appears the only consolation. In its investigation into Rilwan’s disappearance, Maldives Police Service (MPS) has been more than negligent; it has been willfully perverse. In hundred days the MPS has given almost as many excuses for making zero progress in the search for Rilwan: nobody was abducted; it was a woman who was abducted; it was not an abduction, it was a rape; Rilwan ‘disappeared himself’; Rilwan is an apostate, not worth looking for; Rilwan is playing an elaborate joke; Rilwan is writing his own missing persons reports; Rilwan was abducted by gangs, there are no gangs in the Maldives; we have arrested someone, we have let him go; Rilwan was abducted by violent extremists, there are no violent extremists in the Maldives; Rilwan is not missing, it is all a political drama; no comment; Rilwan who?

Rilwan the journalist who examined the many maladies of Maldives. Rilwan the teenage blogger who gave a damn about the poor and the wronged. Rilwan the ex-radical who understood the extremist mindset better than all official strategists. Rilwan the story-teller whose #FerryTales shortened the distance between Male’ and Hulhumale’ more than any bridge can. Rilwan the well-mannered young man who respected the elderly. Rilwan the friend who listened. Rilwan the writer who inspired. Rilwan the aspiring poet who read Rumi and Neruda. Rilwan the thinker who sought spiritual succor in meditation, Nusrat Fatah Khan and the Quran. Rilwan the friend who laughed; the brother who baked; the uncle who played; the son who loved. Rilwan the Maldivian who cared.

The reasons why Rilwan’s friends, family and supporters want him found are the very reason the authorities want him to remain missing. What Rilwan abhorred in our society, our rulers cheer loudly.

Rilwan wanted a society free of corruption; our leaders revel in it. He wanted to see Jihadist ideologies become less attractive to young Maldivians; our religious clerics encourage it while the government turns a blind eye. He wanted gang violence to have less power over society; senior government officials outsource authority to favoured gang members. Rilwan wanted equal justice for all; our rulers want judgement and punishment to be arbitrary, wielded by them how and when they please. He wanted a society where citizens shared its wealth more equally; our rulers want all wealth to be their own.

Rilwan wanted us all to think more deeply about how to live a more meaningful, spiritual and equal existence; it is the antithesis of all that our rulers desire. For the moment we begin to think more deeply is the moment we begin to regret voting them in. It would be the beginning of our demand for change, the precursor to saying: ‘Enough. I will not let you rule me anymore.’

If the past 100 days has made anything clear, it is that this government will do all it can to stop Rilwan from being found. It is in its interests to do so. The past 100 days has also made something else very clear: we must do all we can to find out what happened to Rilwan. It is in our interests to do so. Our pursuit of a more just, equal and democratic society, as dreamed of by Rilwan, cannot begin if we forget Rilwan’s abduction and the government’s role in it, either by taking him or covering it up.

Let’s not stop our pressure on the authorities to #FindMoyameehaa. We owe it to Rilwan, and to our future.

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Missing journalist’s family accuses police of negligence, files complaint

Missing Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan’s family has accused police of negligence in investigating the reporter’s disappearance and has filed a formal complaint with the Police Integrity Commission (PIC).

Speaking at a press conference today, Rilwan’s sister Mariyam Fazna noted that 82 days had passed without apparent progress in police investigations.

“Our family is in deep mourning. We have no way forward. We believe police negligence is behind the lack of progress in finding Rilwan,” said Fazna.

The police have failed to take the case seriously, despite an abduction outside Rilwan’s apartment building on the night of his disappearance and reports that he had received numerous death threats and had been followed, she said.

Eyewitnesses had reported the abduction at knifepoint at around 2am on August 8, but police only took their statements on August 14, the family said. The police had also failed to track down and search the car used in the abduction.

“If the abduction had been investigated immediately at the right time, the police would have been able to find the victim and clarify if it is our brother or not,” Fazna said.

Meanwhile, Rilwan’s sister Fathimath Shehenaz condemned the police for disrespecting a family in grief, pointing to a police statement on September 23 in which they claimed political parties were using the family to obtain information about the investigation.

“These words are extremely disrespectful to a family suffering the disappearance of a loved one,” she said.

The People’s Majlis on Tuesday threw out a 5055 signature petition urging MPs to pressure police for a through and speedy investigation. The parliament secretariat later admitted the rejection was “a mistake,” according to MP Imthiyaz Fahmy who sponsored the petition.

Four men have been arrested over Rilwan’s disappearance, but only one man remains in custody at present. The police have revealed few details on the case.

Home Minister Umar Naseer said he believed Rilwan is alive and promised to return him safe to his family. He has also acknowledged involvement of criminal gangs in the case.

Human rights NGO Maldivian Democracy Network released a report in September implicating radicalised gangs in Rilwan’s disappearance.

Discounting theories of voluntary disappearance and suicide, the investigation – conducted by Glasgow-based Athena Intelligence and Security – concludes the disappearance is likely to have been an abduction.

The report confirmed evidence of possible “hostile surveillance” at the terminal conducted by two known affiliates of Malé based Kuda Henveiru gang.

The NGO on October 23 accused the police of negligence in investigating the disappearance for their failure to inform the public on progress and failure to confirm if the abduction reported on the night Rilwan went missing was related to his disappearance.

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Majlis throws out 5055 signature petition on Rilwan’s disappearance

The People’s Majlis on Tuesday threw out a 5055 signature petition which urged the parliament’s National Security Committee to pressure the Maldives Police Services to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation.

In a letter to MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, who sponsored the petition, Majlis Secretary General Ahmed Mohamed said the petition had failed to fulfill requirements outlined in the Majlis standing orders.

Condemning the move, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP said Secretary General Mohamed had later admitted the rejection of the petition was “a mistake” and confirmed it had been submitted according to all procedures.

“We are extremely concerned. The MDP submitted the case to various subcommittees. Ruling party MPs killed the case in every single committee, and have now killed the 5055 signature petition submitted by Rilwan’s family,” Fahmy MP said.

“I don’t know whether they will be looking at it again. But they [Majlis] did admit that what they did was wrong when they threw out the petition. They have completely ignored the law when they issued a letter to me to saying the petition does not meet requirements.”

The Majlis secretariat had said the sponsoring MP had not signed all pages of the petition as Article 200 of Majlis regulations. However, Fahmy pointed out his signature was in fact present on all pages.

Article 199 the Majlis standing orders state a petition can only be submitted on a bill submitted to Majlis, an issue taken up in Majlis, or an issue of public concern.

Fahmy’s urgent motion on Rilwan’s disappearance on August 19 was accepted with bipartisan support.

“When I countered all of their arguments, they at last said it was a mistake. All the required signatures were there. Then, not knowing what to say, they said we will try to proceed. What kind of answer is this?” the Maafannu North MP said.

“The PPM holds a majority in Majlis. Their refusal to look into the issue via Majlis sub committees and rejection of the petition indicates the government’s stand on this issue.”

Despite public outcry, the PPM has largely remained indifferent. Today is the 81^st day since the reporter disappeared.

The petition, submitted on September 4, asked MPs to investigate if the police had been negligent in investigating Rilwan’s disappearance and asked MPs to find out if an abduction reported on August 8 in front of Rilwan’s apartment building was connected to his disappearance.

Four men have been arrested over the case, but only one man remains in custody at present. The police have only revealed few details on the investigation.

Home Minister Umar Naseer said he believed Rilwan is alive and promised to return him safe to his family. He has also acknowledged involvement of criminal gangs in the case.

Human rights NGO Maldivian Democracy Network released a report in September implicating radicalised gangs in Rilwan’s disappearance.

The report confirmed evidence of possible “hostile surveillance” at the terminal conducted by two known affiliates of Malé based Kuda Henveiru gang.

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Police negligent in investigating Rilwan’s disappearance, says Maldivian Democracy Network

Human Rights NGO Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) has accused the Maldives Police Services of negligence in investigating the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.

In a statement issued today, MDN condemned the police’s failure to inform the public of progress in investigations and failure to confirm whether an abduction reported on the night Rilwan went missing is connected to his disappearance.

“It has been 77 days since journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla was abducted. The Maldivian Democracy Network believes the Maldives Police Services has been negligent in conducting a timely investigation aimed at finding Rilwan and saving his life,” the NGO said.

Rilwan was last sighted at 12:55am on August 8 at the Hulhumalé ferry terminal in Malé. Eyewitnesses have since said they saw a man being forced into a car at knifepoint infront of Rilwan’s apartment building around the time he would have reached home.

The abduction was reported to the police and a forensics team confiscated a knife that was dropped on the ground.

Rilwan has not been seen or heard from since.

MDN also slammed Home Minister Umar Naseer and Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed for suggesting the NGO’s investigative report implicating radicalised gangs in Rilwan’s disappearance was responsible for police’s failure to finding Rilwan.

“Each day and every moment that passes without knowledge of Rilwan’s whereabouts could endanger his life further and deteriorate public’s trust in the police to ensure public safety,” said the NGO.

Inconsistency and negligence

MDN urged the police to clarify the connection between the reported abduction and Rilwan’s disappearance, stating “This organisation believes the Maldives Police Services is obligated to share the progress of investigations into criminal activity that have led to public outcry.”

Police statements on August 28 and September 4, and the police’s announcement that it was collecting forensic samples from three cars suggested they believed the abduction may be connected to Rilwan’s disappearance, MDN noted.

However, on September 16, the police said it had no concrete evidence to suggest the two incidents were related.

Police have yet to offer an explanation of this statement, and have not revealed who was forced into the car, MDN said. Moreover, the police have failed to reveal whether they are investigating the abduction as an unrelated and separate case.

Despite public outcry over the case and repeated requests for information on the investigation, the police have not shared any details with Rilwan’s family or the public, the statement noted.

Obstruction

The investigation – conducted by Glasgow based Athena Intelligence and Security – discounted theories of voluntary disappearance and suicide, and confirmed “hostile surveillance” of Rilwan at the ferry terminal by members of Malé based Kuda Henveiru gang.

Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed has accused the media and MDN for “obstructing” police investigations, claiming they had revealed leads.

Meanwhile, Naseer said the report had forced the police to change investigation technique and speed up the arrest of four individuals, leading to their early release.

“It has an extreme negative effect on an investigation when people who are not aware of the details of an investigation release reports and offer speculations based purely on hearsay with the intent of gaining some political advantage,” he said.

MDN today hit back at Waheed and Naseer’s claims stating, “instead of investigating allegations against [gang members] named in the report and clearing their names, the police attacked the report and attempted to cover up the criminal offenses outlined in the report.”

The media has previously publicised the names and photos of gang members identified in the report in relation to other criminal activity, the statement noted.

However, the police expressed no concern and “shamefully defended the gang members in the name of protecting human rights,” it said.

MDN also condemned the government’s claim that the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party was behind the report, stating “we condemn efforts to politicize this organisation’s work.”

The statement urged the police to refrain from “such undignified actions.”

Naseer has for the first time acknowledged gang involvement in Rilwan’s disappearance, on October 19 stating: “We already knew that there is a gang connection to Rilwan’s case. However, in a modern investigation, one doesn’t immediately arrest suspects. We leave them free and follow them and gather information.”

One man named in the report, Ahmed Muaz vandalised Minivan News’ security camera on September 25 shortly before two others buried a machete in the building’s door.

A Minivan News journalist received death threats shortly thereafter, which read, “You will be killed or disappeared next. Watch out.”

While police arrested a 32-year-old suspect Thursday night on charges of stealing the security camera – clearly identifiable on the CCTV footage – the Criminal Court released the suspect with conditions the following day.

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Home minister acknowledges gang involvement in Rilwan case, blames opposition for slow progress

The home minister has acknowledged gang involvement in the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan, while accusing politicians of obstructing the investigation.

“We already knew that there is a gang connection to Rilwan’s case. However, in a modern investigation, one doesn’t immediately arrest suspects. We leave them free and follow them and gather information,” he explained during an interview on state television yesterday.

“The biggest cause of obstruction to this investigation is the MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party],” Naseer said, accusing the opposition party of being behind a private investigator’s report released by local NGO Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN).

Rilwan was last seen on CCTV footage at the Hulhumalé Ferry Terminal in the early hours of August 8. Friends and family have alleged his disappearance to have been an abduction, based on evidence in CCTV footage and eye witness accounts.

The MDN report, produced by UK based private investigators Athena Intelligence and Security, implicated gangs – possibly motivated by religious extremism – in the disappearance 73 days ago.

“The release of the report forced us to change our investigation technique. We had to hurry the arrests, which led to early release of suspects. It is the biggest hindrance to the investigation so far,” said Naseer.

Four individuals were arrested following the report’s release, though three were later released.

The minister said that the report had named some suspects who are members of notorious gangs that the police had also already identified. MDN maintains that the report was released with the objective of aiding the police in the investigation.

Police have yet to confirm the nature of their investigations, stating that they have gathered no “concrete evidence” linking Rilwan with a reported abduction outside his apartment the same night.

Naseer concluded his remarks on Rilwan by stating that he believes the 28-year-old remains alive as the abductors have so far left no indication that they have taken his life.

Family concern dismissed

Rilwan’s family has continuously expressed concern regarding the lack of information received from the police regarding the investigation’s progress.

Police Commissioner Hussain Waheed went on the offensive last week, telling local news outlet Vaguthu that the family and certain media organisations were partially responsible for the lack of success in the investigation.

Naseer yesterday dismissed the family’s concerns, saying that police were giving regular updates to the family, and that he had personally met with the family at least four times to share information.

“I personally meet with the investigation team once a week and get an update on progress. I also give them advice on how to proceed with the case,” Naseer said, adding that the government sees the disappearance of Rilwan as a high priority.

President Abdulla Yameen has yet to comment publicly on the case, beyond his dismissal of questions regarding the case in August, although the foreign ministry has expressed concern.

Naseer went on to say that, despite spending state resources, funds, and time on the case, the police have so far been unable to get any answers in the case.

“I must say that sometimes things just happen this way, we just don’t get ahead. For example, consider the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 which disappeared with over 200 passengers. The whole world is looking for it, but no one has a clue as to where it may be. And then we are talking about one man, Rilwan,” he said.

“Things and people that go missing are sometimes just not found easily. We can use all the available resources in a country and even then, there is only so much we can achieve. However, in this case, we have not given up and will continue trying,” Naseer continued.

No police negligence, no state involvement

Umar also dismissed allegations of police negligence involved in the case.

When questioned about police actions following the reported abduction near Rilwan’s residence on the night of his disappearance, Umar said people were speculating that it is police negligence “due to the lack of information they have”.

He affirmed that police had promptly investigated the matter, even without knowing at the time whether it was related to Rilwan’s disappearance.

Naseer also dismissed allegations of state involvement in Rilwan’s disappearance.

“This is MDP’s way of comparing this case with that of Ablo Ghazi [Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed]”, he alleged.

“No one has forced Rilwan’s disappearance. Ablo Ghazi was abducted by the MDP government with the aid of the MNDF. Rilwan is someone who disappeared and we are trying to find,” he explained.

“We are trying to find Rilwan. We were only made aware of this case after Rilwan disappeared. The government has no involvement in this disappearance. This is, in fact, the first disappearance of its kind that has occurred in the country.”

“We are considering the disappearance of Rilwan as a criminal act and are investigating it to the best of our abilities,” he assured the public.

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Criminal Court releases suspect in Rilwan disappearance

No additional reporting by missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan

The Criminal Court yesterday released one of four suspects arrested in connection with the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.

A police media official confirmed to Minivan News today that the court released the suspect after he was taken before a judge for extension of remand detention.

The court ordered a second suspect to be placed under house arrest for five days, the media official explained, and granted extensions of seven days and 10 days respectively for the two remaining suspects.

On September 28, police arrested three suspects – two 22-year-old men and one 24-year-old man – on suspicion of involvement in Rilwan’s disappearance. The Criminal Court extended the detention of the 22-year-old pair for five days and the 24-year-old man for seven days.

The court granted a five-day extension of remand detention for a fourth suspect arrested on September 29.

Rilwan has been missing for 59 days and is believed to have been abducted at knife point outside his apartment building in Hulhumalé around 2:00am on August 8.

In a press statement on Thursday (October 2), Rilwan’s family called on the police “respectfully” to share findings of the investigation and update the family, friends and wider public on progress made so far.

“Every day and night that passes without the truth of the case being revealed is filled with questions, anxiety, and deep sadness for the family,” the statement read.

The delay in providing answers to the public creates fear and anxiety in society as well as despair over personal safety, it added.

The statement concluded with an appeal to include Rilwan in prayers offered during the Hajj pilgrimage and Eid al-Adha period.

Following the arrests last week, both Rilwan’s family and human rights NGO Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) welcomed the “progress in the police investigation” and offered its support.

“The Criminal Court’s extension of their detention signifies progress in the investigation,” said MDN.

However, the police have yet to offer possible theories or lines of inquiry being followed in the investigation, noting on September 15 that no “conclusive evidence” has been found between Rilwan’s disappearance and a reported abduction outside his apartment building.

MDN released an investigation report last month implicating radicalised gangs in Rilwan’s suspected abduction.

The investigation report by Glasgow-based Athena Security confirmed evidence of possible “hostile surveillance” of Rilwan at the Hulhumalé ferry terminal in Malé conducted by two known affiliates of Malé-based Kuda Henveiru gang. One of the suspects is identified as Ahmed Shiran Saeed.

Minivan News understands Shiran is currently in police custody for unrelated charges.

Citing the abduction of several young men in June by a vigilante group in a push to identify online activists advocating secularism or professing atheism, the report said gang activity in Rilwan’s abduction was a “strong possibility”.

The report noted increased radical activity among members of three main gangs in Malé – Bosnia, Kuda Henveiru, and Buru – and claimed members had participated in attacks against individuals they deem “un-Islamic”.

Rilwan had “regularly received clear threats to his life” for his outspoken criticism of religious extremists, the report said.

One man named in the report, vandalised Minivan News’ security camera on Thursday (September 25) shortly before two others buried a machete in the building’s door.

A Minivan News journalist received death threats shortly thereafter, which read, “You will be killed or disappeared next. Watch out.”

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