The recent assault and detention of the Maldives’ opposition party leader is indicative of the disturbing use of authoritarian powers by the government to suppress calls for democratic reform. Mohammed Nasheed was detained on August 12, 2005 in Male, together with Ahmed Abbas and some other persons. The two activists had been holding a silent vigil in commemoration of the events of August 2004, when many protesters demanding constitutional reform were brutally arrested and detained. At the time of his arrest, Nasheed was assaulted by the police, who also assaulted others present, including Nasheed’s wife. Ten days later, on August 22, Nasheed was accused of having made a private comment regarding the ‘violent overthrow’ of the government and was charged with sedition and terrorism.
That these charges come after the pledge of multiparty democracy–political parties are finally allowed to register and take part in elections as of June 2005–speaks to the lack of commitment by President Gayoom to fundamental freedoms and human rights. This is also evidenced by the spate of arrests and detention since August 12 of numerous opposition party members and supporters as well as others seeking to promote democratic change. Persons in detention are allowed access to visitors only at the discretion of the police, and in many cases are tortured. Legal professionals are reluctant to intervene as effective remedies and protection are non existent. The entire legal process, including the judiciary, is controlled by the government so that there is no possibility of a fair trial.
President Gayoom is known as the longest serving ruler in Asia; he has presided over a one-party state since 1978. Local and other groups are concerned that the charges against Nasheed as well as the related arrests and detention of others is intended to obstruct the establishment of effective multiparty democracy. In this regard the government of the Maldives is following numerous other authoritarian regimes in using national security and anti-terrorism legislation to suppress dissent and silence calls for greater freedom. Such legislation also allows the state to legitimize the use of violence against those citizens who dare to speak out.
This intolerable state of affairs must be brought to an end. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) calls upon the government of the Maldives to unconditionally release those persons detained for voicing popular aspirations for democratic change, in particular, Mohammed Nasheed, and the charges against him must be dropped. The government must also allow for free and fair multiparty elections to be held. The AHRC also urges the government of the Maldives to become a party to international human rights treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture, which it has so far declined to do.
