Tag: assaults

Human rights and wrongs – The Weekly Review

June 7th – 13th

A series of attacks and abductions in the capital Malé this week brought concern and condemnation from politicians and human rights stakeholders.

The incidents, understood to have been part of a vigilante campaign against supporters of atheism and homosexuality, have yet to provoke a response from the government.

Reports emerged of groups having previously expressed their concern regarding the publication of content offensive to Islam.

While the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) voiced concerns at the reports of the physical assault and threatening of multiple individuals last weekend, the vice president of the Human Rights Commission urged the state to reassure the public of their safety.

Minivan News spoke with previous victims of online threats turned into physical violence, asking how fearful Maldivians should be of online attackers.

Meanwhile, the Maldives representative on the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva pressed the case for greater consideration of religious intolerance, as well as the plight of Palestinians and Syrians.

Maldivian involvement in UN peacekeeping operations was again criticised by local NGO Jamiyatul Salaf, which expressed concern that troops would become embroiled in action against fellow Muslims.

Other foreign entanglements this week were less controversial and potentially more lucrative, with the vice president continuing the search for foreign investors in China while customs officials signed a cooperation deal with UAE authorities.

Home Minister Umar Naseer travelled to the Netherlands this week in order to procure sniffer dogs as part of his anti-drugs campaign – missing a second successive court hearing in the process.

Details of government attempts to provide a welcoming environment for prospective investors were revealed as details of the recently introduced special economic zones bill emerged – featuring nine largely tax-exempt areas across the country.

One group not be welcoming foreign investment, however, was MATATO which argued that moves to award an exclusive deal to a foreign group would harm both its member businesses and tourists – whose numbers continued to grow last month.

Plans to develop a new airport on Farukolhu Island in Shaviyani atoll were blocked by the Environmental Protection Agency, while environmental NGOs expressed skepticism that the government had the capacity to enforce newly protected ray species.

In the far north, Udha waves – a uniquely Maldivian phenomena – flooded large parts of Haa Alif Dhidhoo while Bluepeace called for the empowerment of local councils across the nation to deal with waste management issues.

Another uniquely Maldivian story was explored by Hulhevi Media, who launched a documentary researching the realities behind the traditional romantic epic ‘Buruni Ballad’.

The power of Malé City Council continued to decline meanwhile as both City and Fini parks were reclaimed for the use of Housing Ministry, while President Abdulla Yameen defended his party’s use of the official residence for political events.

Yameen’s government proposed amendments to a number of laws to align them with the constitution, while Adhaalath Party MP Anara Naeem proposed raise the monthly disability allowance from MVR2,000 to MVR5,000.

The opposition MDP this week restarted political activities after a post-election hiatus, with the opening of a new party haruge in Malé.

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14 death sentences issued in the past 10 years: Criminal Court

The Criminal Court has said that 14 death sentences have been passed in the last decade, however many of those convicted and given the sentence have been rearrested and brought before judges on different cases.

The court said that a total of 9197 persons had been given sentences for various crimes within the past 10 years – approximately three percent of the Maldives’ population.

2950 persons of the total 9197 convicted were banished, while 798 persons were placed under house arrest and 5435 persons were imprisoned, said the Criminal Court.

However, the court said many of the convicts who are supposed to be serving their time were brought before the judges accused of committing further offenses.

Meanwhile, the parliament has commenced its preliminary debate on the amendment presented by Jumhoory Party (JP) MP Ibrahim Muthalib to the Clemency Act, which requires death penalties to be implemented if the Supreme Court upholds a death sentence issued by a lower court or of the Supreme Court itself issues a death sentence.

If the amendment is passed the President will not have the authority to grant clemency for those who are found guilty of any offense that serves a death penalty.

The amendment was originally presented by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ibrahim Rasheed, who withdrew it claiming that he would resubmit it after bills relating to evidence and penal code were passed.

Parliamentary Group Leader of MDP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik has now presented the Criminal Justice Procedure Bill, which parliament has accepted and is awaiting preliminary debate.

As MPs present bills to try and control rising gang violence, early this morning a 25 year-old victim died in hospital after an assault two days ago that left him in a coma.

Another youth, Ahusan Basheer, 21, was stabbed to death last month on a busy street in Male. Ibrahim Shahum, 20, who was released by the court after being held in pre-trial detention for six months in connection with another murder case, was arrested along with two others. An under-aged girl, who reportedly witnessed the crime, was also arrested and kept in pre-trial detention.

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