The court has ruled that the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and it’s Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail must be held accountable for statements made by Mariyam “Mandhy” Zubair and Ahmed “Maaz” Saleem concerning President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s son, Umair Mohamed, during an MDP protest.

The case was filed by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed against MDP, its chairperson, and party activist Mandhy.

The Family Court found that Fayyaz bears responsibility for Mandhy’s statements in his capacity as a senior party figure and determined that the party itself must be held accountable for comments made by both Mandhy and Maaz Saleem. While Mandhy’s case was handled separately, the case against Fayyaz and MDP was processed jointly. Although Fayyaz was held responsible, it was Mandhy who made the statements attributed to Umair.

The ruling also states that a compensation lawsuit may be filed against both MDP and Fayyaz. Defense lawyers questioned why the party and a senior official should be held liable for statements made by a third party, but the court did not consider this argument.

Sajidha filed a separate case with the Civil Court, which ruled that Umair’s right to dignity had been violated and affirmed Sajidha’s right to seek compensation. However, that court found no grounds to hold MDP or Fayyaz responsible and ruled that a public apology could not be ordered.

A statement from former Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor’s law firm asserted that Mandhy’s comments about Umair could be harmful to him and negatively affect his education and future.