Five men have been arrested in southern Addu City on a charge of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl.
The police said the five men arrested were aged, 81, 77, 56, 32 and 18 years.
Some were family members of the victim.
A court has remanded the five for 15 days.
A magistrate court in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Gahdhoo has meanwhile sentenced a 25-year-old man to ten years in jail for sexually abusing another 14-year-old girl in 2010.
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(0)Home minister Umar Naseer has vowed to keep ex-president Mohamed Nasheed in prison despite growing calls for his release by the international community.
“We will not free Nasheed. This government will not free him. I repeat it,” Naseer said in an interview on pro-government private broadcaster Dhi-TV on Thursday.
Nasheed is serving a 13-year jail term on terrorism charges relating to the arrest of a judge during his tenure. Foreign governments, international bodies including the UN and Amnesty International have criticized the trial for lack of due process.
The EU parliament in April passed a resolution calling for Nasheed’s immediate release and have urged member states to warn tourists on Maldives’ human rights record on their travel websites.
However, Naseer said the government “will not back down an inch” even if the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is backed by 50 foreign governments. He went on to describe the MDP as a “lie factory.”
“There is no way will we hand the country to MDP. We will not back down an inch even if they come with 50 countries behind them,” he said.
“The government is built upon a very strong foundation. There is no way we will budge.”
Naseer said the MDP had planned to torch several buildings during a mass antigovernment protest on May Day. Nearly 200 people, including opposition leaders, were arrested when violent clashes erupted between the police and protesters.
Approximately 20,000 people had taken to the streets on May 1 over Nasheed and ex-defence minister Mohamed Nazim’s imprisonment.
Although the opposition has criticized the police for excessive force and brutality during the protest, Naseer congratulated the police force, saying they are the “most professional” force in the region.
He said the police had ten years of experience in controlling protests and condemned protesters for beating two police officers.
“MDP can only deceive others [the international community], not Maldivians,” he said.
The home minister once again denied allegations he had made of president Abdulla Yameen’s involvement in the brutal murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali in 2012.
Naseer had contested against Yameen during the Progressive Party of the Maldives’ (PPM) presidential primaries of 2013. When he lost, he held a public rally accusing Yameen of corruption, vote-rigging, illicit connections with criminal gangs, and said he saw a suspect in Afrasheem’s murder meeting with Yameen.
Naseer was expelled from the PPM when he refused to apologize for his remarks. He joined the Jumhooree Party (JP), and was given a cabinet portfolio after Yameen won the second round of polls with JP’s backing. The party left the ruling coalition in January.
“I said I saw a suspect in Afrasheem’s murder, after he was released, at the PPM office seeking a meeting with president Yameen. I did not say there is any connection between president Yameen and Afrasheem’s murder,” he said.
Naseer on Thursday said he had made the comments because of the “rivalry in the campaign,” and said the investigation does not suggest the president was involved in the murder at all.
In recent months, several defectors from the ruling coalition, including MP Ahmed Mahloof, have claimed president Yameen will know the truth behind Afrasheem’s murder.
In December 2012, then-police chief Abdulla Riyaz had said that Dr Afrasheem’s murder was politically motivated with a local gang offered MVR4 million (US$260,000) to carry it out.
The late moderate religious scholar and Progressive Party of Maldives MP was brutally stabbed to death on October 1, 2013 in a murder that shocked the nation.
Riyaz, now a JP MP, was summoned to the police last week when he said he would reveal details of Afrasheem’s murder “when the time comes” in an interview with a local TV station.
Hussain Humam, the chief suspect in the murder and the only person convicted of the crime so far, has alleged president Yameen and tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb’s involvement in the killing.
However, Adeeb accused the opposition of orchestrating Humam’s remarks in a “character assassination” attempt. Humam had said at the first hearing of his appeal at the High Court last month that president Yameen and Adeeb “will know best” the details of the murder.
Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom meanwhile told reporters that president Yameen should sue opposition politicians alleging his involvement in the murder for defamation and strongly condemned the insinuations.
(0)Dislikes(0)The US state department has highlighted the unresolved disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan in a campaign ahead of international press freedom day on May 3.
Acting spokesperson Marie Harf called on the Maldives to “credibly investigate the disappearance” during a press briefing in Washington DC on Wednesday.
.@marieharf highlights 2 cases of threats against freedom of expression in #Crimea and #Maldives. #FreeThePress http://t.co/wgEERTtpLI
— Department of State (@StateDept) April 29, 2015
Gov. of Maldives needs to credibly investigate the disappearance of Ahmed Rilwan & create space for ind. journalists http://t.co/HZahIeKis0
— Human Rights @ State (@State_DRL) April 29, 2015
Rilwan is believed to have been abducted at knifepoint outside his apartment building in a Malé suburb in the early morning of August 8. The 28-year-old reporter wrote on politics, criminal gangs and Islamic extremism.
Rilwan had received clear threats to his life in the weeks prior to his disappearance, and an investigative report by a local human rights group has implicated radicalised gangs in the abduction.
Harf called on the government “to take the steps necessary to create space for independent journalists to work without fear of violence or harassment, including ending impunity for attacks and intimidation against journalists.”
Investigative journalist Ahmed Rilwan has remained disappeared since August 2014 #Maldives http://t.co/HZahIeKis0 pic.twitter.com/ZX9gjAwV6V
— Human Rights @ State (@State_DRL) April 29, 2015
Police investigations has been slow despite nine months passing since the disappearance was reported.
In a statement last week, the police said they are continuing with the investigation, and have received some forensic analysis reports of samples from three different cars that may have been used in the abduction.
“The investigative team is now reviewing how we may continue with the investigation based on the results of some of the forensic analysis reports,” the April 23 statement said.
In October last year, the police arrested five individuals over the disappearance, but all have been released. Local media reported that several suspects left the Maldives in January, ostensibly for the war effort in Syria.
Home minister Umar Naseer has also acknowledged the involvement of gangs in Rilwan’s disappearance.
His family has accused the police of negligence, saying officers failed to stop and search the car used in the abduction, despite eye witnesses having filed a report with the police immediately after observing the abduction.
Police officers had reportedly confiscated a knife from the scene.
Maldives journalists have repeatedly raised concerns over death threats to the press by Malé’s criminal gangs, but the police have failed to take substantive action against threats.
In March, local media cited a blog and reported that Rilwan had died fighting against the Islamic State in Kurdistan. However, the police said the blog was fake.
(0)Dislikes(0)The opposition and police have raised fears of violence at a mass antigovernment protest on May Day, as a political crisis triggered by the jailing of ex president Mohamed Nasheed deepens.
The religious conservative Adhaalath Party has accused government ministers of planning to release convicts on Friday to incite violence as a pretext to crack down on protesters.
The police meanwhile told opposition leaders they have received reports that the demonstration will not be peaceful, and have ramped up riot training exercises for its special forces this week.
Tensions are high in Malé with the opposition Maldivians against brutality coalition vowing to bring 25,000 people out on to the capital’s streets demanding Nasheed and ex defence minister Mohamed Nazim’s release. But president Abdulla Yameen has labeled the opposition’s demands unconstitutional and has said he will not negotiate or resign on May Day.
Adhaalath Party president Sheikh Abdulla Imran speaking at a rally in Malé’s suburb Vilimalé accused Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb of seeking the release of 200 dangerous criminals to “shed blood” on May Day.
“Adeeb has sent a 200 strong list of the most dangerous and vile criminals to the courts seeking their release, in order to confront protesters,” said Imran.
The sheikh has also previously accused Adeeb of corruption and illicit connections with gangs.
Speaking to Minivan News Adeeb dismissed the allegations, saying the opposition must ask state institutions to investigate any allegations of wrong doing.
“I don’t think they will be able to do much on May Day,” he said.
The tourism minister had previously challenged the opposition to a confrontation on May Day, saying that the government “will not tolerate any bloodshed of or even a scrape on any young person, police officers or military officers.”
“Even if its May 1, June 1 or that grand February 27, if you dare to confront us, come, this government stands ready,” Adeeb said.
Over 10,000 opposition supporters took to the streets of Malé on February 27 following Nasheed’s arrest, but the rally was unexpectedly called off at 6pm when the police threatened a crackdown.
Police are meanwhile continuing riot trainings for its Specialist Operations unit at Feydhoo Finolhu Island.
The police held separate meetings with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Jumhooree Party (JP) yesterday, according to a statement.
Superintendent of police Abdulla Shareef told MDP chairperson Ali Waheed that opposition politicians were inciting violence at daily protests and threatening the country’s independence and sovereignty. He said the police will take actions against any acts that violate rights.
The MDP and JP however assured the police the protest would be peaceful and will respect the law, the statement said.
(0)Dislikes(0)Demonstrations in support for and against the state’s prosecution of former President Mohamed Nasheed took place in Malé today.
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) women’s committee members staged a protest in front of the President’s Office at noon after they were denied a meeting with President Abdulla Yameen. The group of 30 women were carrying letters asking Yameen to release Nasheed.
Women near President office to deliver #FreeMohamedNasheed letter #FlashMob #NasheedUnderArrest pic.twitter.com/JDhuDStWuu
— Aishath Jennifer (@JenniferAishath) March 4, 2015
However, Specialist Operations Officers in riot gear pushed the women away from the President Office within an hour. Dozens of MDP supporters on motorbikes also drove through the city this afternoon calling for Nasheed’s release.
Egoalhin Migolhin cycle buru #NasheedUnderArrest pic.twitter.com/gghiEs8YOS — Aishath Jennifer (@JenniferAishath) March 4, 2015
Meanwhile, dozens of ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) supporters marched to the Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin’s residence this afternoon, calling on the state to “prosecute Nasheed immediately.”
Nasheed ge shariyai kurun Avas kurumah govaalaa Nasheed aa dhekolhu Supportarun mihaaru kuramun dhaa muzaaharaa. pic.twitter.com/ftEh9pPiuB
— Shumba Gong (@ShumbaGong) March 4, 2015
The Maldives has fallen to 112th place in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Index for 2015, dropping four places and marking a significant decline for the fourth consecutive year.
RSF annually ranks the performance of 180 countries according to a range of criteria, including media pluralism, independence, respect for safety and freedom of journalists, and the country’s legislative, institutional and infrastructural environment for the media.
Last year saw numerous death threats sent to journalists, the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan, and a machete buried at the door of the Minivan News office.
Speaking to Minivan News, Maldives Media Council (MMC) member Miusam Abbas contended that the decline in the press freedom index reflects the government’s restrictions on the media.
“The government has been pushing to restrain the media in so many ways,” he alleged.
“We have seen continuous threats to journalist where the government failed to investigate the matter and also the government has been biased in providing information to media as well.”
Miusam suggested Rilwan’s disappearance was the biggest factor in last year’s decline. Rilwan is believed to have been abducted at knifepoint at 2:00am outside his apartment in Hulhumalé.
Human rights NGO Maldivian Democracy Network released a report in September implicating radicalised gangs in Rilwan’s disappearance. Home Minister Umar Naseer has also acknowledged involvement of criminal gangs in the case.
“It is a shame that the government has absolutely done nothing of relevance to find the journalist Ahmed Rilwan. I interpret this as a threat to the media in Maldives. After all, how can a journalist truly be free of fear while reporting when one of their colleagues has been missing for months?” Miusam asked.
Miusam also accused the government of actively assisting newly formed pro-government media outlets whilst deliberately recruiting journalists from other independent news organisations.
“This is an act to deliberately ruin targeted media organisations,” he claimed.
An environment where journalists could report freely in news organisations that were not financially dependent on politicians is essential for press freedom to flourish in the Maldives, Miusam said.
“If we look at the big media organisations now we can see that they are either funded or owned by a politician. The only solution I see is for the media to run as normal business without the backing of politicians or politically influenced organisations,” he explained.
Following the attack on the Minivan News office last September, Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon expressed “deep concern” with the increasing intimidation and threats faced by journalists.
She assured that “the government remains strongly committed to create an environment that gives protection to media personnel to exercise their duties freely and responsibly.”
In April 2014, President Abdulla Yameen vowed that his administration would not take action against the media “no matter how far journalists take the freedom offered by this government.”
“Even now in newspapers and TV channels they are talking about various matters. Regarding the government or responsible officials in the government, they are saying there are people in the government who have committed various crimes,” he said, adding that the government would not order investigations or respond with litigation.
“So there will be press freedom in the Maldives under this government to an extent that journalists have never seen before. Criticism of the government’s actions is not that big a problem for this government. Talking about myself or my character is not a problem for me. So why wouldn’t there be press freedom?”
Yameen’s remarks came shortly after his administration faced criticism over the absence of either the president or a cabinet minister at a ceremony held to mark World Press Freedom Day, which saw the introduction of the first Maldives Journalism Awards.
Decline
Prior to the country’s first multi-party democratic election in 2008, the Maldives was ranked 104th – an improvement on its 2007 ranking of 129th.
The country’s ranking in 2009 and 2010 reflected dramatic improvements in press freedom – including decriminalisation of defamation – rising to 51st and 52nd respectively.
However, the Maldives slid to 73rd in 2011, 103rd in 2012, and 108th in 2013.
In February 2013, opposition-aligned private broadcaster Raajje TV reporter Ibrahim ‘Asward’ Waheed was nearly beaten to death, while the station’s offices and equipment were destroyed in an arson attack in October.
In June 2012, two men slashed the throat of freelance journalist and blogger Ismail Hilath Rasheed with a box cutter.
The Maldives was ranked between Nigeria and Zambia in the 2015 index. With a score of 34.32, the Maldives was listed among countries with “noticeable problems.”
Three Scandinavian countries – Finland, Norway, and Denmark – topped the RSF index while Turkmenistan, Eritrea and North Korea were the worst performers at the other end of the scale.
Related to this story
Maldives slides on press freedom index for third consecutive year
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(0)Dislikes(0)Tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb has rejected suggestions that he was linked to the recent resignation of Raajje TV journalist and Deputy CEO Ibrahim ‘Asward’ Waheed.
Raajje TV itself tweeted from its official account that Asward had left the channel after it emerged that he was working to establish a media channel with a senior member of the incumbent government.
After rumours on social media suggested Adeeb was the politician in question, he tweeted in response.
I Deny the allegations that I am associated with Raajje TV or Asward.I blv Raajje TV is a independent Channel & Asward is a great Journalist
— Ahmed Adeeb (@Ahmed_Adeeb) February 14, 2015
Asward – who came close to death following brutal attack in February 2013 – maintains that he left the channel due to its “deviation from the original objective”.
Despite being regarded as as aligned with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Raajje TV’s Senior Advisor and former MDP MP for Velidhoo Constituency Yameen Rasheed recently defected to the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives National Defence Force has said it will provide security for MP Abdulla Riyaz after the former police commissioner requested protection last week.
“People are following me everywhere I go. I feel somewhat threatened. I have requested for security but MNDF are yet to grant me security,” Riyaz told Minivan News.
MNDF Spokesman Major Adnan Mohamed said only that a request from Riyaz had been received and that the process of arranging the protection was ongoing.
The spokesman has also been quoted as saying that limited resources could delay provision of security to the Kinbidhoo constituency MP.
After serving as police commissioner between 2012 and 2013, Riyaz moved into politics, joining the then-government aligned Jumhooree Party (JP’s) before winning a seat in the Majlis last year.
Since the JP’s split from the government, and the arrest of former defence minister Mohamed Nazim, Riyaz has suggested the police are now being used to further political agendas – claims rejected by police as attempts to “deceive the public”.
His comments came after Nazim’s legal team suggested that dangerous weapons found in his home were planted by the police, who have since stated that the former minister had been plotting to overthrow the government.
Riyaz has also suggested that police are attempting to plant narcotics in his office, his home, or his car. He told Minivan News today that he had sent pictures of those following him to police.
Writing to the newly appointed Minister of Defence and National Security – Nazim’s replacement – Major General (retired) Moosa Ali Jaleel last week, Riyaz said he feared his life was in danger.
“I need security as I fear there might be an attempt on my life based on the political atmosphere set now,” he wrote.
Article 105 (b) of the Constitution requires the state security services to provide “protection and safety” to all members of the People’s Majlis.
Riyaz also sent a similar letter to Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer, asking if any person has been charged in the case of an MP’s motorcycle being set on fire, as well as an incident in which oil was thrown at him last December.
Security concerns in the country also caused the current Police Commissioner Hussein Waheed to take on additional personal security late last month.
Concerns for the security of MPs in October prompted the MNDF to warn Majlis members to stay in their homes after dark, saying that personal security would be made available to any MP who requested it, though the protection was withdrawn soon after.
This move had followed a significant number of threats made against MPs last year, with the Inter Parliamentary Union saying the government’s reaction would be a test of its democratic credentials.
Attacks on elected officials have become more common in recent years, most notably the brutal murder of Progressive Party of Maldives MP Dr Afrasheem Ali in October 2012.
In February last year, MDP MP Alhan Fahmy was nearly paralysed after being stabbed in the back in a busy restaurant in the capital Malé.
Related to this story
Police deny framing Nazim as former Commissioner alleges politicisation
MPs urged to stay in at night as MNDF offers personal security
(0)Dislikes(0)The Majlis committee investigating the death of 3-year-old Mohamed Ibthihaal will wait until the house reconvenes in March before holding further meetings.
Chair of the Majlis government oversight committee Riyaz Rasheed told Haveeru that there was “no point” and that “nothing further that can be achieved”, accusing fellow committee member Rozaina Adam of releasing confidential documents.
“I specifically asked the members of the committee at its last meeting to not make any of these documents public,” said the Progressive Party of Maldives MP.
Since the committee’s first meeting was held on February 5 was adjourned to give members more time to study the case’s documents, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party MP Rozaina has accused Rasheed of slowing the committee’s work.
She has also told the media that the documents received from the police contained no details of the toddler’s case prior to his death, despite authorities acknowledging that they were previously aware of his abuse.
Last Thursday, she went on to say that the gender ministry’s report contained questionable statements, alleging that both the ministry and police had acted in breach of the law.
Ibthihaal was found dead in his home with numerous wounds and bruises on the island of Vaavu Atoll Rakeedhoo on January 28. His mother is mother is charged with murder and is in police custody awaiting further investigation.
Riyaz reiterated that. while parliament’s involvement has been temporarily brought to a halt, the government is looking into the matter and taking necessary action to prevent further incidents of the kind.
Source: Haveeru
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