Police last night arrested two Thai women and two local men on prostitution charges after raiding a Male’-based business suspected of operating as a massage parlor.
The business, called Maldivian Care, was located on the first floor of H.Hulhugali, a property belonging to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Former President Ibrahim Zaki – who has not been implicated in the raid.
Speaking to the press today, Deputy Head of Serious and Organized Crime Inspector Mohamed Dhaudh said that police had received information that prostitution was allegedly being conducted at Maldivian Care’s premises -charges it said were later confirmed through police intelligence.
Dhaudh said police entered the saloon last night at 9:45pm with a court warrant. Maldivian Care was located on the first floor of the house, where police claim that the business was ran from an apartment with two lockable rooms.
Dhaudh added that when police entered the property, the outside door of the apartment was locked as well as the two interior rooms as well.
Police officials identified the two Thai national suspects as Thonbai Sons and Sdhafone Budicha and the two Maldivian men as Mohamed Shinah of Thinadhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll and Moosa Ibrahim of Inguraidhoo in Raa Atoll.
Police said that although the Maldivian Care business appeared to be operated as a salon, officers had discovered items used for sexual activities inside the property.
In the first room, police reported finding a Thai woman and a naked Maldivian. After searches were conducted of both suspects, an unused condom was found inside the pocket of the man’s trouser, whilst Rf500 was found in the pocket of the woman.
Police claimed that large amounts of Maldivian Ruffiya, US dollars and Euros were found inside the female suspect’s bag.
According to police, another Maldives national and a Thai female were found inside the second room. Upon entering, police reported that the Maldivian man was discovered lying down, whilst the Thai woman was waiting near him.
When police searched the woman’s bag, lots of Maldivian Ruffiya, Euros and US dollars, as well as pills used for “sexual activities” were found inside.
Dhaudh said the sponsor of the two Thai nationals arrested during the raid was Mohamed Adam of Fenfushi in Alifu Dhaalu Atoll. According to police, the sponsor has a previous police record relating to prostitution charges.
Last month, police confirmed they had made several raids on properties linked to prostitution, resulting in the arrest of a number of female expatriates.
Under the previous government, the shutting down of alternative medical centres linked to sexual activities was one of the five demands made by a coalition of NGOs and then-opposition party politicians.
The Maldives must step up local agricultural production in order to improve food security and nutrition standards across the nation, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan said during a visit to Thaa Atoll over the weekend.
Speaking from Veymandoo, the president claimed that the island was a positive example for how “starchy staples” and other produce could be grown in the country.
According to the President’s Office website, President Waheed used his address in Thaa Atoll to raise concerns about nutrition and wider health standards across the nation.
Dr Waheed claimed that over the past several years, considerable efforts had been taken to improve public health nationally and at island level. However, he claimed that the privitisation policies of the previous government – under which he served as vice president – had negatively affected the health sector.
Earlier this month, senior medical experts and NGOs speaking to Minivan News identified concerns about the level of malnutrition in the country, particularly amongst children and pregnant women.
There were mixed fortunes for government aligned parties in island council by-elections held yesterday in contrast to the national unity government’s success in simultaneous parliamentary polls.
In polls for the vacant seat on the Haa Dhaal Kumundhoo Island Council, PPM candidate Mohamed Shafy received 257 votes to beat MDP rival Aishath Hassan and the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) Abdul Hakeem. The polls saw the MDP lose its majority on the local council.
Hassan ultimately finished in second place having secured 164 votes, followed by Hakeem with 123.
In the Thaa Gaadhifushi Island Council contest, MDP candidate Mohamed Irushad won the seat, which is based in the Thimarafushi constituency, by securing 223 votes against PPM’s Hussein Ziyau. PPM candidate Ziyau tallied 169 votes.
Though yesterday’s by-elections saw the first contest for parliamentary seats since the controversial transfer of power that bought President Mohamed Waheed Hassan to power in February, an island council by-election was held in Noonu Maafaru on March 17.
MDP candidate Abdulla Majid Ali took the Noonu Maafaru seat with 240 votes, winning by a margin of four against PPM candidate Muslih Mohamed, who tallied 236 votes.
Five by-elections have now been successfully concluded since February 7, with the MDP telling local media today that it accepted that outcome of all recent local by-elections. The MDP’s position comes as the party pushes ahead with calls for early presidential elections.
The Maldives Police Service has today sent the case of the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdullah Mohamed to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Minivan News understands that under the submitted case, Former President Mohamed Nasheed could stand to face charges for his alleged role in ordering the detention of the judge earlier this year. Any final decision to press charges will then be down to the prosecutor general.
The country’s judges and their conduct became a major focus for former President Nasheed in the run up to him being replaced by Dr Waheed in February, leading to eventual calls for international assistance on the matter.
Nasheed had at the time raised concerns over allegations of perjury and “increasingly blatant collusion” between senior judicial figures and politicians loyal to the former autocratic President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Charges
However, it is the former president who now himself faces criminal charges relating to the detention of the judge.
According to sources linked to the case, the charges levied against Nasheed relate to the violation of article 46 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives, and for violation of Article 12 clause (a) of Judges Act (Act no 13/2010).
Article 44 of the Maldives Constitution states: “No person shall be arrested or detained for an offence unless the arresting officer observes the offence being committed, or has reasonable and probable grounds or evidence to believe the person has committed an offence or is about to commit an offence, or under the authority of an arrest warrant issued by the court.”
Article 12 clause (a) of the Judges Act states that a judge can be arrested without a court warrant, but only if he is found indulging in a criminal act. The same article also states that if a judge comes under suspicion of committing a criminal act or being about to commit a criminal act, they can only be taken into custody with a court warrant obtained from a higher court than that of which the judge presently sits on. This warrant has to be approved by the prosecutor general.
A police official today confirmed that the case regarding the judge’s attention had been submitted to the Prosecutor General’s Office today.
“Today at around 9:30 am, we have submitted the case [the arrest of Judge Abdulla] to the prosecutor general. We have completed all the necessary investigations required,” the police official said.
An official from the Prosecutor General’s Office also confirmed to Minivan News that the charges sent to it by police were against Nasheed. However, the official refused to explain the exact nature of the charges, stating that the case was still being assessed by their legal team.
Spokesperson for Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Imthiyaz Fahmy said that he would not comment on the issue until after a party meeting scheduled to discuss the issue was held
Judge arrest
Judge Abdulla was arrested by the MNDF on January 16 this year, in compliance with a police request. The judge’s whereabouts were not revealed until January 18. The MNDF had acknowledged receipt but not replied to Supreme Court orders to release the judge.
As Judge Abdulla continued to be held, Prosecutor General (PG) Ahmed Muizz later joined the High Court and Supreme Court in condemning the MNDF’s role in the arrest, requesting that the judge be released.
According to Muizz, police are required to go through the PG’s Office to obtain an arrest warrant from the High Court.
“They haven’t followed the procedures, and the authorities are in breach of law. They could be charged with contempt of the courts,” he said at the time.
However, following the controversial resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7, Judge Abdulla was released that evening after incumbent president Mohamed Waheed Hassan took over the presidency.
A second case involving Nasheed has also been sent to the prosecutor general by the police that involved the confiscation of bottles of alcohol allegedly found at his residence shortly after his presidency ended.
In a press conference, Deputy Head of the Drug Enforcement Department, Sub-Inspector Ismail Fareed, noted that all people questioned regarding the case had fully cooperated.
However, Nasheed maintained that he had no part to play in the confiscated liquor bottles.
HRCM
Just last month, Nasheed became the first president to be summoned before the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) regarding his role in the arrest of Judge Abdulla.
Nasheed used his testimony to claim that he had been informed at the time by the Home Ministry that the judge allegedly posed a “national threat” – prompting his eventual detention.
The former president additionally claimed that the Home Ministry had communicated with the Defence Ministry on the situation, which in turn led to the decision to arrest the judge after watchdog bodies like the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has raised alleged concerns over his ethical conduct.
“I was told Abdulla Mohamed would not comply with the police’s summons to investigate allegations [against him],” Nasheed later stated at a press conference following the meeting with the HRCM.
“The Home Minister wrote to the Defense Minister that Abdulla Mohamed’s presence in the courts was a threat to national security. And to take necessary steps. And that step, the isolation of Abdulla Mohamed, was what the [Defense] Ministry deemed necessary.”
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is to reportedly visit Guraidhoo in Thaa Atoll this evening to celebrate the victory of government-aligned political parties in yesterday’s parliamentary by-elections.
The by-elections were held to elect MPs for the constituencies of Kaashidhoo and Thimarafushi – both seats were won by parties in the national unity government of current President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.
The Thimarafushi seat was formerly filled by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Mustafa, but the seat was yesterday won by Mohamed Shareef, a candidate for Gayoom’s Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM).
The Jumhoory Party’s (JP) Abdullah Jabir meanwhile claimed the Kaashidhoo seat.
The government has said that victory yesterday for its coalition partners in two parliamentary by-elections is a clear indication of its “mandate” amongst the Maldivian people to remain in power until 2013, despite continued local and international calls for early elections.
Following the weekend’s elections, government spokesman Abbas Adil Riza today called on international bodies to take the results of the polls into consideration when reflecting on the need for fresh national polls.
Amidst mostly peaceful voting, official provisional results from the country’s Elections Commission showed that Ahmed Shareef of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the Jumhoory Party’s (JP) Abdullah Jabir both beat ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidates to take seats in the People’s Majlis.
From a government perspective, Abbas claimed that the by-elections should be seen as a “vote of confidence” by the public in the national unity government made up of parties such as the JP, the PPM and the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
“The MDP has consistently called for early presidential elections in the Maldives to resolve the political deadlock that exists since the unlawful transfer of power on February 7 following police and military backed coup in the Maldives,” stated MDP spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor .
“Elections today are held at a time when [former President Maumoon Abdul] Gayyoom has publicly stated early Presidential elections would not be held in the Maldives citing conditions for elections are not right and also that Elections Commission does not have the capacity to hold early elections in the Maldives.”
Public support
In addressing the MDP’s claims, government spokesperson Abbas believed the results of polling for the two parliamentary and two Island Council seats indicated public acceptance of President Waheed’s administration.
“It is clear that there is public support in the country for this government and that there are not any problems with its constitutional mandate to be in power. In three out of the four elections held, the coalition won by a clear majority,” said Abbas. “The MDP has continued to call for early elections, though yesterday’s elections show that the public backs the government until early elections can be held in July 2013.”
CMAG
Abbas’ comments were made as the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which was last month criticised by President Waheed’s government for showing “bias” in calling for early elections, is set to convene tomorrow.
The political situation in the Maldives since the transfer of power that bought President Waheed into office on February 7 will be a key topic of discussion for the tomorrow’s meeting. The CMAG panel meeting tomorrow comprises of foreign ministers from Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Jamaica, Sierra Leone,Tanzania and Trinidad and Tobago.
Since CMAG made its original statement last month about the Maldives situation, the US and EU have also pledged to support the Commonwealth in working to facilitate fair, early elections.
Earlier this month, the US government pledged US$500,000 (Rf7.7 million) to help fund an elections program to assist Maldivian institutions in ensuring a free and fair presidential election.
In announcing the elections funding,Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Colombo Valerie Fowler said at the time that the US would “work with the Commonwealth to help the Maldives work through the current situation to elections”.
The US will lend any support, including technical assistance, to ensure the next presidential election in the Maldives is conducted “smoothly and observed the rule of law”, Fowler said.
“Through USAID we are in the process of starting an election programme that will assist Maldivian institutions in ensuring a free and fair presidential election. We have allocated US$500,000 to start that process and anticipate that we can begin as soon as July 2012.”
However, Fowler noted that the US believed there needed to be an “environment conducive to early elections”, an aim that could only be created through dialogue, as well as capacity building measures.
Two TV presenters working for private broadcaster ‘Raajje TV’ were assaulted yesterday whilst on the island of Hulhumale’, an attack the station has claimed is politically motivated.
Speaking to Minivan News, Qufthaq Ajeer claimed he and colleague Mohamed Jinah had been assaulted and threatened with sharp weapons on the island as a result of a political TV program they presented together.
‘’We were waiting in Hulhumale yesterday, I went there to get my bike,’’ said Qufthaq. ‘’At about 6:30pm, four men on two motorbikes came and attacked us.’’
Qufthaq said his colleague Jinah was stabbed in the back and he was hit in the eye.
“My colleague suffered a 7 inch-long, 2 inch-deep wound on his back,” he said.
Qufthaq alleged that the attacks were politically motivated.‘’They [the attackers] asked us to stop the TV program,” he claimed
The presenter also noted that a week ago, an unknown caller rang up Raajje TV’s Offices and warned the channel to stop broadcasting their TV program.
‘’We received death threats a week ago and I think this attack is related to the earlier threats,’’ said Qufthaq, who was also a former journalist at private radio station DhiFM.
Raajje TV CEO Ahmed Rafeeq told Minivan News today that the channel was extremely concerned by the attack, which had followed a number of warnings previously sent to the broadcaster.
‘’We have been receiving several warnings recently and now that they have attacked one of us, the other journalists are scared and mentally affected,’’ Rafeeq said.
The Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) also condemned the attack on the two presenters, stating that it was against freedom of expression.
The MJA said it believed the attack had been designed to intimidate journalists and to obstruct the freedom of press and expression as guaranteed under the national constitution.
The association also called on authorities to bring the assailants to justice.
Police Spokesperson Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that police were presently investigating the case, but no arrests have been made so far.
‘’We questioned both of them and we are trying to identify the assailants,’’ Haneed said. ‘’No arrests have been made so far.’’
Pro-government political parties have previously alleged that Raajje TV was biased and working in favour of former president Nasheed and his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). The station has actively covered MDP protests and rallies, and in several cases aired incorrect reports of fatalities which police later cited as a factor in the subsequent and widespread destruction of police property.
However, Raajje TV is not the only private media group to claim to have come under politically motivated attacks of late.
VTV was briefly brought off air following the incident – an act claimed by the station’s owner to be tantamount to “terrorism”. Local media bodies also criticised protesters for allegedly threatening journalists and media personnel covering the clashes.
Silicon Valley, home to some of the world’s most prominent software groups and tech innovators, is joining the Maldives in trying to battle a potential rise in sea levels that could threaten to submerge both locations.
Writing for Forbes, Anthony Wing Kosner points to a new US$1 billion, 10 year fund raising plan launched Thursday by US Business Leaders and Senator Dianne Feinstein to try and prevent the California headquarters of Silicon Valley giants like Facebook from being submerged.
That $1 Billion that Facebook just paid for Instagram could have paid for updating the levees and restoring the wetlands in the drained former site of San Francisco Bay that is now Silicon Valley, home to Facebook, Google and billions of dollars of real estate. That the Valley has joined the Maldives (with somewhat less urgency) on the list of those threatened by potential sea level rise is actually a good thing.
Whether through floating architecture, alternative energy, better storm prediction or any number of other innovations, the future of humanity on earth is relying on the brain power of places like Silicon Valley to solve the problems caused by the planet’s increasing use of energy. The tech companies could move to higher ground, of course, an option not available in the Maldives, but the geographical web of social connections is so intense in the Valley that there are strong reasons to persist.
Ahmed Shareef of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the Jumhoory Party’s (JP) Abdullah Jabir have won seats in the People’s Majlis based on official provisional by-election results provided by the Election’s Commission tonight.
Under these provisional results, Shareef will become the MP for Thimarafushi, while Jabir will answer to the constituents of Kaashidhoo. The Thimarafushi seat was previously held by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Musthafa who was disqualified by the Supreme court over a decreed debt.
Musthafa
In 2009’s parliamentary elections, Musthafa won the Thimarafushi constituency seat against Ghassan Maumoon, Former Preisdent Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s son.
Polling for parliamentary by-elections on the islands of Kaashidhoo and Thimarafushi closed today at 4:05pm, with counting getting under way soon after following a day of largely peaceful electioneering.
Official provisional results announced by the Elections Commission tonight show that PPM’s Shareef won Thimarafushi constituency with 1756 votes (56%). Musthafa came in second with 1327 votes – a 428 vote difference.
Shareef was the Atoll Chief of Thaa Atoll from 2006-2008, last three year’s of Gayoom’s administration.
“It will be a tough vote between Shareef and Musthafa, because both of them are from this island”, a 27 year old man from Thimarafushi observed when interviewed by Minivan News. “Last time Musthafa won, it was against Gayoom’s son. Now if he wins against a person from same island, it will be significant,” he added.
A total of 3616 voters are registered for Thimarafushi constituency which include; Guraidhoo island (1408 voters), Gaadhifushi island (434 voters) and Thimarafushi (1774 voters). Only 3086 people were found to have voted, while 35 votes were disqualified.
Musthafa was said to have taken the lead in almost all these islands, except for Guraidhoo – well known to be a PPM strong-hold.
As the day wore on, five people were arrested from Guraidhoo this morning for allegedly vandalizing the island council office and smashing up windows, according to Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef.
Meanwhile, Jabir triumphed in the Kaashidhoo by-election with 1107 votes (54%). The MDP candidate followed him with 919 votes while PPM candidate Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim came fourth with nine votes, a single vote behind another candidate who had contested independently and came in third.
Jabir and Waheed
Eligible voters for Kashidhoo constituency stands at 2231 while the turn out was 2060. The constituency is made up of 1422 voters from Kashidhoo island and 809 voters from Gaafaru.
Though Waheed contested on a PPM ticket, the party had officially endorsed JP candidate Jabir and requested Waheed to withdraw his candidacy, but he declined.
Polls Peaceful
The polls, which were contested for two separate seats in the Majlis, are the first parliamentary elections to be conducted since the controversial transfer of power that saw President Mohamed Waheed Hassan take office in February.
Polls opened peacefully at 8:00am this morning on Kaashidhoo and Thimarafushi and ran peacefully throughout the day, except for the incident on Guraidhoo.
Elections Commission President Fuad Thaufeeq said in a press conference this afternoon that the commission had received a single complaint regarding the voter’s registry, with the rest of the complaints relating to elderly people or people with special needs who need assistance in voting.
“Elections officials at the ballot box will decide whether to give permission for assisted voting. But some people were dissatisfied with officials decision and complained.” he explained.
Local media yesterday reported that 21 complaints relating to the manner in which campaigning for today’s elections was being conducted were brought to the EC.
However, an EC spokesperson told Minivan News this morning that it was happy with the way voting was being conducted and had not received any fresh complaints so far today.
“Right now, there are no other complaints that we have received and we do not believe there are any significant problems for voters,” the commission spokesperson added. “we are quite happy that things are going smoothly and people are being encouraged to vote,” He observed.
When asked regarding the potential impact that yesterday’s complaints may have had on voters, the Elections Commission said it was monitoring polling stations and police conduct very closely.
police officers near barricades
Meanwhile, the MDP this afternoon praised what it has called a “peaceful and calm” voting environment during today’s by-elections, whilst appealing for its supporters to remain calm and show “maximum restraint” as the day progressed.
In a statement, MDP spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said that the party remained fully confident in the Elections Commission’s ability to ensure free and fair elections amidst calls for a new nationwide presidential poll after former President Mohamed Nasheed alleged he had been forced to resign in a “coup d’etat” in February.
“The MDP has consistently called for early presidential elections in the Maldives to resolve the political deadlock that exists since the unlawful transfer of power on February 7 following police and military backed coup in the Maldives,” Ghafoor claimed.
“Elections today are held at a time when [former President Maumoon Abdul] Gayyoom has publicly stated early Presidential elections would not be held in the Maldives citing conditions for elections are not right and also that Elections Commission does not have the capacity to hold early elections in the Maldives.”
Dr. Waheed’s role
During a busy election weekend, President Waheed was himself in Thimarafushi on Friday afternoon, where he endorsed PPM candidate Ahmed Shareef just a few hours before campaigning ended.
Speaking to the inhabitants, Dr.Waheed claimed that the government held a great majority in the parliament and added that electing Shareef would help expedite the government’s performance.
He also promised that the Thimarafushi airport development will begin soon. Meanwhile, several islanders claiming to oppose the
Shareef standing behind Dr.Waheed in Guraidhoo visit
present government walked out of the island in retaliation to Waheed’s visit.
“Around 200-300 people including men women and elderly went to nearby uninhabited island called Hiriyanfushi. They did not want to be here when coup president arrive,” a Thimarafushi councillor told Minivan News.
MDP supporters alleged that Waheed visited Thaa atoll during the elections to promote the PPM’s candidate and influence voting. “The School wall was even painted in pink when Waheed visited there yesterday,” MDP supporters claimed.
While polling was ongoing today, heated arguments and mild clashes reportedly erupted between supporters of Dr.Waheed and his opponents on Vilufushi island of Thaa atoll, where he was visiting.
No arrests were made but the police tightened the security around the school in the area where the President met Vilufushi islanders.
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