Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said that it is absolutely deplorable that many individuals have been deprived of their basic human rights.
Maumoon said this in a post on his official Twitter account, and the post is his message on occasion of the international Human Rights Day.
On this World Human Rights Day, it is unforgivable that many of our people are deprived of their basic human rights. No progress can be achieved without every single person in the community enjoying their full human rights.
— Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (@maumoonagayoom) December 10, 2017
Maumoon’s post is followed by an address from Maldivian Human Rights Commissioner Aiminath Eenas, where she said that the commission has made great progress in guaranteeing freedom and human rights for the people of Maldives.
Eenas’ comments were met with backlash from the opposition, who have been condemning the reported obstruction of several basic rights, such as that to freedom of expression.
The most prominent way in said obstruction has manifested is fines against news outlets on the grounds of the recent criminalization of defamation.
The opposition have also condemned what it described as the government’s ongoing efforts to jail and prosecute its leaders in order to discourage scrutiny of the current administration.
