Woman loses toenail amid excessive police brutality at MDP protest

Due to the excessive use of force during the protest staged by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Wednesday night, several protesters were injured.

Many of those injured in Wednesday night's protest, which is part of a series of ongoing protests, were women. Protesters present at the scene said they witnessed police using disproportionate force, pushing and knocking civilians to the ground. Protesters note that police actions are particularly targeting women for harm during these demonstrations.

Some people suffered several injuries to their hands and feet as police officers dashed at high speed to push protesters back, very abruptly. In addition to this, the public has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with male police officers being used to push back female protesters. However, journalists from RaajjeTV present in the area witnessed some male police officers involved in pushing back women.

Some women fell to the ground due to police using undue force. One female protester lost a toenail due to the excessive use of force, with her toenail being completely ripped off. The injured woman told RaajjeMV that her toe was injured when a police officer deliberately stepped on her foot.

During the protest, male police officers were actively involved in pushing back female demonstrators. When a large contingent of officers was mobilized to forcefully disperse a smaller group of protesters, several individuals sustained various injuries as a result of the aggressive tactics used.

Although the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) was active in monitoring the protests, the commission has not disclosed anything to the public regarding the injuries to civilians.