Allegations of police brutality at MDP protest; HRCM inquires MPS about alleged violence
When asked whether HRCM representatives were present to monitor the protest, whether police had injured protesters, and how they verified what happened, they did not respond to any of these questions
HRCM members at a meeting - MDP protests are being observed by the commission
The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has stated that they have sought clarification from the Maldives Police Service (MPS) regarding allegations of police brutality against participants in an abrupt gathering held by the main opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Saturday night.
Some women who participated in the protest on Saturday night were injured due to the use of force by the police.
The police had barricaded and closed off the area around the MDP campaign site from both sides to prevent the protest. As they pushed the public back and attempted to move the public lines backwards, some women were injured due to the harsh measures taken.
When protesters began to move towards Majeedhee Magu, police began using force and even used pepper spray on the protesters. Before the pepper spray was used, the public was standing still and raising their voices peacefully, with many women in the front lines.
As a result, several women were affected when pepper spray was unexpectedly. Further, two elderly women who were there had severe difficulty breathing due to the effects of pepper spray. RaajjeTV journalists present at the scene also witnessed some people falling to the ground and getting injured due to the police use of force.
In addition to this, some female participants in the protest suffered various injuries due to forceful pushing. A female journalist from RaajjeTV was also affected by pepper spray. She also injured her elbow when male police officers pushed the media back.
Although female police officers were present to control the protest, the public expressed dissatisfaction when male officers were used to push back women.
Regarding this, HRCM said that they were monitoring how the protest on the night of March 8 unfolded. They stated that HRCM monitors protests as they occur, and if there are concerns about how relevant authorities handled the situation, the commission will provide advice after clarifying the course of events with the concerned agencies.
When asked whether HRCM representatives were present to monitor the protest, whether police had injured protesters, and how they verified what happened, they did not respond to any of these questions.
