Ambassador-at-Large, Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed met with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin on Sunday.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Special Rapporteur is currently undertaking a country visit to the Maldives from May 15th to 24th.

Ambassador Ghafoor met the Special Rapporteur at the Foreign Ministry and welcomed her to the Maldives. The Ambassador also expressed gratitude for accepting the Government’s standing invitation that has been extended to all Special Rapporteurs Mandate Holders.

During the meeting Ambassador Ghafoor reiterated the commitment of the Maldivian government to fully cooperate with the Special Rapporteur and assured that the Maldives will look forward to the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur to further improve the human rights situation in the Maldives.

The Special Rapporteur briefed Ambassador Ghafoor on the issues related to her mandate on countering terrorism and took positive note of the progress Maldives has achieved in promoting and protecting human rights.

Ambassador Ghafoor was accompanied at the meeting by Additional Secretary Ahmed Shiaan, Legal Counsel Mohamed Aseel Hassan, Director-General Mariyam Reesha and Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Adam Hamid.

The Special Rapporteur was accompanied by Senior Legal Advisor Dr. Anne Charbord and Human Rights Officer Michelle Erazo Martínez.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Special Rapporteur will have official meetings with a number of interlocutors, including those from the Executive Branch, the Legislature, the Judiciary, independent commissions, civil society and other important stakeholders during her visit to the Maldives.

The Special Rapporteur will also visit a number of detention facilities across the country.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlights that the Government of Maldives has been forthcoming in its desire to engage more closely with the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms, with genuine efforts being undertaken to conduct an objective assessment of the domestic human rights mechanisms, with a view to further improving and strengthening them.

The Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights holds a Special Procedures mandate of the UN Human Rights Council that was established in April 2005 by the former Commission on Human Rights. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur has been extended by the Human Rights Council multiple times, most recently on 12 April 2022, for a further period of three years