Terrorism charges have been raised against three individuals, over the abduction of journalist Ahmed Rilwan.
The Prosecutor General (PG) Office said that it has raised charges against Ahmed Aalif Rauf, Mohamed Nooradeen and Mohamed Suaid.
Charges were levied against the three on August 15, under Articles 2 (b) and 6 (b) of the former Prevention of Terrorism Act, alleging that the three had been involved in Rilwan's abduction.
According to Article 2 (b), "the act or the intention of kidnapping or abduction of person(s) or of taking hostages(s) is constructed as an act of terrorism," while Article 6 (b) states that "any person(s) found guilty of an act of terrorism, without a loss of life, shall be sentenced to between 10 and 15 years imprisonment or banishment". The same penalty will be given to those found guilty of complicity in the crime, while "person(s) found guilty of abetting or privy to such information shall be sentenced to three to seven years imprisonment or banishment".
Journalist Rilwan was last seen in the early hours on the 8th of August 2014, and is believed to be abducted outside his apartment building in Hulhumalé.
Arrested in 2016, Aalif and Nooradeen were released during their remand hearing.
Police have said that on the night of Rilwan's disappearance, they had received a report of an individual being forced into a red car in Hulhumalé, but that the car was gone by the time they reached there. Police further noted that the car had been searched later on, and that it was taken into Hulhumalé illegally.
Police have since revealed that the car was registered under Aalif's name. Police said DNA tests had been run on five strands of hair found in the trunk of the car, and that one had matched to Rilwan's mother.
Police have also revealed that Rilwan had been stalked on the night he was abducted. Suaid is suspected to have followed him around.
Suaid, who was arrested over the matter, fled to Syria to join the Jihad there shortly after his release. There have been reports that he has died since.
