Raslaan remains in critical condition after police crackdown, family raises alarm
Eight individuals including former parliamentarians were arrested during the protest with seven being remanded in custody for 15 days
Mohamed Raslaan, suffered from a heart attack during the MDP's mass rally.
Mohamed Raslaan, Vice President of the MDP National Congress for the Central Hulhumalé constituency, remains in critical condition at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) after suffering a heart attack during the opposition protest on Friday night. Raslaan's condition, according to his family, has not improved, and doctors are continuing intensive treatment in the hospital’s Coronary Care Unit (CCU).
His family has confirmed that further medical procedures are scheduled and that no definitive prognosis can be made until those are completed. This uncertainty comes amid growing concern over the use of excessive force by the Maldives Police Service (MPS), including the deployment of sonic weapons and pepper spray, during the MDP-led demonstration in Malé City.
Eyewitness accounts allege that Raslaan was physically assaulted and directly sprayed in the face with pepper spray before collapsing and being rushed to Senahiya Hospital. He was later transferred to IGMH for advanced cardiac care. The incident has raised serious questions about the state's handling of peaceful protesters and the potential health consequences of the tactics used.
The protest, which drew thousands of participants, was organized by MDP to denounce the Muizzu administration’s erosion of fundamental rights, its controversial constitutional amendments, and ongoing corruption scandals. However, what was intended to be a peaceful demonstration quickly turned violent when riot police moved in to block the crowd from marching along Majeedhee Magu.
In a shocking and unprecedented move, police deployed a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), a powerful sonic weapon commonly used in military settings, to disperse the crowd. It was the first known instance of LRAD use in the Maldives, marking a dangerous escalation in state tactics against civilian protesters. The device emits a high-frequency, high-decibel sound designed to disorient and incapacitate individuals, and has been linked internationally to hearing damage, psychological distress, and other serious health effects.
Raslaan’s heart attack, believed to be triggered by the stress and exposure to this weapon, has now become a symbol of the state’s growing brutality. Human rights groups have condemned the use of such tactics on unarmed civilians, especially in a densely populated urban area where children and bystanders were also exposed.
In total, eight individuals were arrested during the protest, including former parliamentarians Yasir Abdul Latheef and Yaugoob Abdulla, as well as Maafushi Council President Hassan Solah. One detainee has since been released with conditions, while the remaining seven were remanded in custody for 15 days, a move opposition leaders are calling politically motivated and unconstitutional.
As Raslaan continues to fight for his life, public outrage over the Muizzu administration’s violent suppression of dissent continues to grow. Calls for an independent investigation into police conduct during the protest, and for accountability at the highest levels, are growing louder both domestically and abroad.
