Nine persons – six males and three females – have applied for the vacant post of Judge on the High Court bench.
The applicants are UNDP Resident Representative Aishath Rizna, Family Court Head Judge Hassan Saeed, Hulhumalé Court Marriage Registrar Hassan Ali, Criminal Court Judges Abdulla Didi, Muhuthaz Fahmy, and Civil Court Judges Aishath Sujoon, Mariyam Nihaayath, Hussain Mazeed, Abdulla Jameel Moosa.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Channel News Maldives (CNM) journalist Abdulla Haseen has denied charges raised against him of working with political figures to obstruct police duties.
At a hearing held at the Criminal Court today, Haseen is reported in local media as having said that he had attended political rallies only as a journalist with the intention of covering them for news pieces.
Haseen is accused of having removed police barricades and of speaking to police officers in obscene language along with Abdulla Idrees of Gulfaamuge in Laamu Maavah and former opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.
The next hearing of the case has been scheduled to be held on September 28.
(0)Dislikes(0)Online Jihadist group Bilad Al Sham Media (BASM) have claimed two more Maldivians have been killed in the Syrian civil war.
“Martyred brothers in the yesterdays operation include Abu Dujana Maldifi, Abu Ibrahim Maldifi and Abu Ukasha Indonesi,” read a post on the BASM facebook page today.
The latest reports follow similar stories in May when two Maldivians – who had taken the names of Abu Nuh and Abu Turab – were said to have been killed after travelling to Syria for jihad
While the group claims that Abu Dujana was the founder and editor of the BASM page, the group has not provided any information regarding his real identity, stating that this omission was at the request of his mother.
Local media has, however, identified Abu Dujana as Yameen Naeem of Georgia in the Maafannu ward of the capital Malé. It is reported that the man, in his early twenties, travelled to Syria after studying in Egypt.
BASM – which Minivan News has learned has members situated in both Syria and the Maldives – has previously claimed that its members arrive in Syria from numerous points of destinations, and that many were students.
The group has previously criticised incumbent President Abdulla Yameen, describing his presidential win as “a victory for Jahiliyya [ignorance] over Jahiliyya” and has condemned the Maldives National Defence Force as “fighters in the devil’s path”.
While other senior figures in the government refused to take a definitive stance on the issue of Jihad, Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed in July urged Maldivians to refrain from participating in foreign wars.
“Islamic jihad is that waged with sincerity, in the name of Allah, in defense of religion and nation, behind a designated Muslim leader, and against enemies of Islam and nation,” Shaheem said, adding that fighting between two Muslim groups cannot be described as jihad.
Shaheem said Maldivian militants who go abroad must not be punished, but be rehabilitated and informed of religious teachings.
Admitting to growing radicalisation in the Maldives, Shaheem said the media and scholars must help the government in its effort to educate the public.
Radicalisation begins with praying in separate communities, refusing to register marriages at court, and declaring other Muslims infidels, Shaheem said.
The rise of religious radicals within the Maldives has been noted by numerous group both locally and internationally.
While the Maldivian Democratic Party has recently accused security services of fostering radical elements – a claim rejected by authorities, the then acting prosecutor general Hussein Shameem called for the state to take the issue more seriously.
Last week Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon again spoke in support of moderate Islam, condemning the atrocities of ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
The US State Department’s 2013 country report on terrorism noted that local laws “severely limit” the prosecution of cases associated with violent extremism. Then acting prosecutor general Hussein Shameem in March called for the state to take the issue more seriously.
The US expressed growing concern since 2010 “about the activities of a small number of local violent extremists involved with transnational terrorist groups”.
“There has been particular concern that young Maldivians, including those within the penal system, may be at risk of becoming radicalized and joining violent Islamist extremist groups. Links have been made between Maldivians and violent extremists throughout the world,” the report stated.
(0)Dislikes(0)Missing Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla’s mother has urged all families of victims of violent crime to work together to ensure justice.
In an emotional letter today, Aminath Easa, 67, appealed to mothers of victims to hold the Maldives ailing justice system and law enforcement agencies accountable.
A meeting of families has been called for Wednesday September 3, at 9pm in Malé City Hall.
“The Maldives first saw knife attacks, then murders. My son’s disappearance signals the start of a culture of disappearing people. Your child has been a victim of knife attacks and murder attempts. Have you received justice? Let us, mothers, today stand together for justice,” she said.
“Today my son has disappeared. I do not know whose child will disappear next. It is the Maldives Police Services tasked with protecting our children and us. It is the courts tasked with ensuring justice for us in times of injustice. However, we have to work together to expedite their services and hold them accountable. My humble appeal to you mothers is to join me in this task, for your rights and the rights of your children.”
Today marks the 24th day since Rilwan’s disappearance. Evidence gathered by Minivan News suggests Rilwan was abducted. Eyewitnesses said they saw a man being forced into a car at knifepoint infront of Rilwan’s apartment building on the night he disappeared.
The Maldives Police Services have revealed very little information on the case. The passports of four individuals have reportedly been held over the case.
Minister of Defense and National Security Mohamed Nazim said on Saturday he was hopeful of Rilwan’s safe return.
“I want to inform you, the Maldives government is doing all necessary, and I have hope, God willing, that Ahmed Rilwan will be found,” he said.
Rilwan’s family and friends have meanwhile launched an extensive campaign to pressure government, including petitions, meeting state agencies, and raising public awareness on the issue.
Signatures are being gathered on a petition urging the People’s Majlis national security committee to pressure the police for a thorough investigation. The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party had lodged the case with the committee on August 18.
An Avaaz petition has also been launched today calling on the Maldives government to expedite the search to find Rilwan and to guarantee a safe environment for all journalists, human rights defenders and bloggers in the Maldives.
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have now asked the People’s Majlis to convene an emergency meeting of the security services or 241 committee. The party has also lodged the case with the government oversight committee.
On August 19, the MDP also sponsored an emergency motion calling on law enforcement agencies to step up efforts to find Rilwan. The motion was accepted with 51 votes in favor, but there has been no progress on the motion yet.
Full text of Aminath Easa’s letter:
From a mother to a mother,
I remember very well the day my son Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla was born. I can still hear his first cries. His first smile is ingrained in my heart. I can still see him start to crawl and start to walk before my eyes. I can still feel him holding tight onto my fingers as if it were yesterday. I still remember his first day of school. As a boy, he was never one to argue with me over any disputes. At the most, he would leave the house. When he returned, he would be quiet and would carry on as if nothing has happened.
My son, Rilwan, pays attention to religion. He prays, he fasts and he recites the Qur’an. He asks questions over religion and worldly affairs. He is a quiet and mild mannered young man. A brother who keeps up good relations with his family. A son who participates in his father’s work. An uncle who brings happiness to his nieces and nephews. He is my beloved son who is always ready to help me.
You mothers would share the same feelings I have for my son. I love my son Rilwan deeply, just as you do your children. No mother would wish for her child to disappear without a trace. In the past 24 days, all I have heard is that Rilwan may have been forced into a car in the early hours of the morning. That a knife was seen at the scene. That some parties were questioned. If it were your child who has been disappeared, would you not move heaven and earth to find him? Would you not go begging to all to find him? Would you not attempt to secure justice?
The Maldives first saw knife attacks, then murders. My son’s disappearance signals the start of a culture of disappearing people. Your child has been a victim of knife attacks and murder attempts. Have you received justice? Let us, mothers, today stand together for justice.
Today my son has disappeared. I do not know whose child will disappear next. It is the Maldives Police Services tasked with protecting our children and us. It is the courts tasked with ensuring justice for us in times of injustice. However, we have to work together to expedite their services and hold them accountable. My humble appeal to you mothers is to join me in this task, for your rights and the rights of your children.
The first meeting of the families of victims of disappearance, knife attacks and murder attempts will be held on September 3, Wednesday at 9:00 pm at the Malé City Hall. I request you to join me and participate in this undertaking.
(0)Dislikes(0)Friends and family of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan are petitioning the Majlis, posing a series of questions which the family believes “arose due to the negligence of the Maldives Police Services in searching for Rilwan.”
“These are also matters on which state institutions have so far conducted no work in order to reach the truth,” read the questions to be submitted to the national security committee.
The petition calls on all relevant authorities to provide answers for the following questions, urging thorough investigation into the following issues:
Organisers of the petition are currently holding a variety of events through which they aim to collect the 3000 signatures required before it can be submitted to parliament.
Last weekend (August 29 and 30) friends and family held an event at the Artifiical Beach where signatories of the petition were given free t-shirts printed with the message ‘Today Rilwan has been forcefully disappeared. Will it be me tomorrow?’
Additionally, the group provided a screen projection in the same area on Saturday night displaying video clips of messages from Rilwan’s family and friends.
According to Yameen Rasheed – long time friend of Rilwan who is among the volunteers at the event – the group has already gathered over 1500 signatures, while today (August 31)) volunteers are covering different areas of Malé in order to seek more signatures.
“Friends and family have made tremendous efforts to seek the public’s support in finding Rilwan. This is sadly in contrast with the continued silence from the state,” Yameen stated.
State response
On Thursday, August 28, Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed was summoned to parliament’s national security committee.
While the meeting was held behind closed doors, police released a press statement on the same day, revealing some details of the investigation as it has proceeded to date.
According to the statement, police have questioned 198 persons and taken statements from 80, including neighbours of Rilwan in Hulhumalé. It also stated that 293 hours of CCTV footage from over 30 locations are being reviewed and analysed.
Police also claim to have searched all public and industrial areas of the island, as well as an additional 50 places for which they had obtained warrants.
The island of Farukolhufushi – formerly Club Faru resort – near Hulhumalé, vessels moored at Hulhumalé harbour, and a number of other local islands have also been searched, the statement continued.
Police also claim that in relation to the reports of an abduction in Hulhumalé on August 8, officers were doing forensic tests on samples taken from three different cars.
The statement did not say whether any concrete information was gathered from these interviews and other investigative measures.
Meanwhile, Minister of Defence Mohamed Nazim speaking at a DhiTV event held on Saturday (August 31) that the government is doing all necessary to find Rilwan, saying “there is hope that we will find him”.
Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal has also tweeted a similar message, stating “Government has mobilised all necessary resources to find #Rilwan. The search should continue #findmoyameehaa”.
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has also met with friends and family of Rilwan on Saturday, pledging assistance to the cause.
In a press conference held on Sunday, newly-elected MDP Vice President Mohamed Shifaz stated that the party will work from within the parliament and all other possible avenues to assist the search for the missing journalist.
(0)Dislikes(0)Civil servants have received annual bonuses after appraisal of the work conducted by individual civil servants between January 2013 and the end of January 2014.
The bonus was given to staff with attendance of over 80 percent in the defined period, with zero unexplained absences and with no disciplinary actions being taken against them.
Those who received 95 percent and above in the appraisal received a bonus equivalent to a month’s pay. Those who received between 85 and 95 percent received two thirds of their basic salary, while those between 84.9 and 75 percent received one third of their basic monthly salary.
Should any persons have issues regarding the bonuses, the Civil Service Commission has announced that complaints can be lodged during a period of one month, which ends at the end of August.
(0)Dislikes(0)Ministry of Tourism has reported on a statement published on their website that tourist arrivals during the month of July have shown a 14 percent increase when compared with figures from the same month last year.
It reports that total number of tourists who visited the Maldives in July 2014 amount to 100,191.
While Europe has traditionally been the area from which the Maldives gets the most number of visitors, the statement reports that in July, visitors from Asia and the Pacific exceeded those from Europe.
Countrywise, the most number of tourists arrived to the Maldives in July from China, reaching 30.6 percent of the total number of arrivals.
The ministry further reports that by the end of July 2014, the total number of registered tourist establishments are 474, with 30,732 beds. However, only 291 of these establishments – with 26,894 – beds were operational within January and July this year.
(0)Dislikes(0)The victim of the assault with a sharp object which occurred in Mahchangolhi last Saturday (August 23) has had his right leg amputated as a result of injuries received.
The man, identified in local media as Ahmed Aseel of Blueniyage in Thaa Atoll Thimarafushi, is currently receiving medical treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital.
“He was stabbed in six places, and his right leg was severely injured. Therefore we were left with no option but to amputate his right leg from the knee down. His condition is still very critical, he is even breathing with the aid of a ventilator,” local media quoted his family as saying.
(0)Dislikes(0)A five member committee representative of media outlets have been appointed on Wednesday to organise and hold the election of the leadership of Maldives Journalist Association (MJA).
After disputes within the association over the polls, MJA President Ahmed ‘Hiriga’ Zahir tendered his resignation following the last meeting on Sunday (August 24) which ended with accusations of assault.
The five persons appointed to the committee are Haveeru News Senior Assistant Editor Ahmed Hamdhoon, Sun Online Assistant Editor Ibrahim Zaki, VNews Senior Editor Ahmed Rifau, Raajje TV journalist Mohamed Fazeen, and Dhuvas.mv Editor Azmi Ali.
(0)Dislikes(0)