President says private chat logs of student who passed away at Dhanaal were released to address and curb criticism circulating on social media

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has stated that the private chat logs of a female student who died while residing at the Maldives National University (MNU) hostel in Male' were disclosed in an effort to halt ongoing speculation on social media.

While providing information regarding the incident at the hostel, Home Minister Ali Ihusaan disclosed chat logs of conversations between the child and the Maldives Police Service's Victim Support Unit during a highly sensitive period. This action has drawn widespread public criticism of the government. Many have argued that if private conversations of individuals in their most vulnerable states are disclosed without restraint, it will erode public trust in such emergency hotlines.

Therefore, journalists also directed questions regarding the matter to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu during Monday's press conference. However, the President's response indicated that the government prioritized suppressing social media discourse over maintaining public confidence in the Victim Support Unit.

The President stated that there must be a unified public consensus on such matters, noting that a lack of common understanding creates circumstances where the disclosure of information becomes necessary.

We were compelled to release some information, but even that is not ideal. It should be possible to handle these matters without disclosing such details. The public demand often stems from a presumption of guilt, assuming someone has done something wrong from the very beginning. When such conclusions are drawn prematurely, the individual performing their job is placed under immense pressure. This can even escalate to the point where their family's safety is put at risk. We are seeing these situations arise, and we must consider that perspective. It creates a very difficult environment when there is no collective understanding among us.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu

The President stated that even by international standards, disclosing details regarding the case of the child who passed away was inappropriate. He noted, however, that the information was released only due to mounting pressure that left no other choice. Nevertheless, many have raised questions as to whether there was truly such significant pressure to justify the disclosure of such sensitive information.

Ideally, no information regarding the child's case should have been disclosed that day. However, due to the intense criticism faced by those involved and the widespread rumors circulating on social media, officials released a very limited amount of information. This disclosure does not align with international standards, and neither I nor other professionals believe that such details should have been shared. Ultimately, the information was only provided because the mounting pressure made it feel like a necessity.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu

The President further emphasized that every individual is entitled to certain rights, including the right to the protection of their reputation. He clarified that his remarks were not intended to defend any specific individual.

According to the timeline shared by the Minister, it has become evident that there were significant delays in the police response to the incident. While these concerns were also echoed across social media, no relevant authorities have disclosed any information suggesting that any individual faced personal pressure, as alleged by the President.