• Press Release

Charge of Former Maldives’ President Mohamed Nasheed Received With Dismay

July 16, 2012

Investigation into Nasheed’s Violations Appears Politically Motivated; Ignores Past Cases of Torture, Says Human Rights Organization

Contact: Sharon Singh, [email protected], 202-675-8579, @spksingh

(Washington, D.C.) – Amnesty International said today that it is dismayed by the charge of former President Mohamed Nasheed as it appears politically motivated. The investigations seemed to ignore the human rights violations that were allegedly committed during the presidencies of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Waheed.

Nasheed has been formally charged with illegally ordering the arrest of a senior judge in January 2012. Amnesty International believes that Judge Abdullah’s arrest was arbitrary, and therefore does not oppose an investigation into the incident. All former presidents should be held accountable for human rights violations, but accountability must not be selective.

Human rights violations during Gayoom’s presidency included torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests and unfair trials of political opponents. Police forces under the current president, Mohamed Waheed, have been reported to use excessive force and sexual harassment against peaceful demonstrators.

Amnesty International urges the Maldives government to fully investigate all human rights violations including those allegedly committed under Gayoom and Waheed’s tenures.

Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.