MDP PG meets HRCM over arrests and rights violations during October 3 protest
MDP MPs criticized police for delayed medical care to detained protesters and dangerous use of acoustic devices during the October 3 protest
MDP PG members meet with HRCM members
The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group has met with the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) to raise serious concerns over the treatment of individuals arrested during the October 3 protest in the capital Malé City.
During the meeting, held on Sunday, MDP parliamentarians drew attention to what they described as government negligence in ensuring proper medical care for those in custody. Among the cases discussed was that of Maafushi Council President Hussain Solah, who reportedly suffered a finger injury while in police custody and experienced significant delays in receiving medical attention.
MDP lawmakers also criticized the police’s use of acoustic devices during the protest, devices that are widely recognized as potentially harmful to human health. The deployment of such equipment, they argued, marked a dangerous escalation in crowd control tactics and raised serious questions about the proportionality of force used by law enforcement.
According to sources, only Commissioner Habeeb from HRCM attended the meeting on behalf of the commission.
Following the discussion, MDP PG Deputy Leader Hussain “Fittey” Ziyad expressed concern that HRCM had still not received Solah’s medical report from the police. Although the commission has officially requested the report, the submission deadline has already passed, and there has been no update from police authorities.
MP for Kendhoo constituency Mauroof Zakir, who also took part in the meeting, said HRCM informed the group that they had visited the detention facility to meet with Solah. He also noted that while the commission has pledged to release an investigative report on the human rights violations committed by police during the October 3 protest, the ongoing delay in publishing the findings remains a point of concern.
MDP lawmakers stressed that with another large-scale protest planned for November 17, the lack of accountability for abuses committed during the previous protest raises fears of further unchecked police action. The PG warned that failure to conclude the investigation into the October 3 incident before the upcoming demonstration could embolden the authorities to escalate their tactics.
Highlighting the severity of the methods already used, the lawmakers cited hearing damage caused by high-volume acoustic dispersal tools and expressed concern that future crowd control measures could involve even more harmful methods.
Despite these unresolved issues, MDP PG informed the commission that the November 17 protest would proceed as planned, regardless of whether HRCM completes and releases its investigation report in time.
The meeting reflects growing unease over the state of civil liberties in the Maldives, with opposition lawmakers accusing state institutions of failing to uphold their constitutional duty to protect citizens from abuse, particularly when those citizens are critical of the government.
