Abdulla Saleem, a political activist who was at Thursday night’s demonstration in capital city Malé, is in critical condition after having been involved with clashes with the police.
Saleem had suffered a 'fit', or seizure, as a result of having been pepper sprayed at close range and is now in a coma, his family said. They told RaajjeMV that Saleem 'shook his head' twice when being taken to the hopsital and that he has remained motionless and unconcious since.
The Maldivian Democratic Party, the largest of the parties allied against incumbent President Abdulla Yameen, posted a tweet expressing concern over Saleem’s decline in health.
The MDP expresses grave concern following confirmed reports that Abdulla Saleem, M. Goabiligasdhoshuge, who was heavily pepper sprayed & manhandled by riot police last night, is in critical condition & currently being treated at IGMH ICU. The party calls to stop police brutality.
— MDP Secretariat (@MDPSecretariat) February 23, 2018
Officers of the police’s ‘special operations unit’ had used pepper-spray and intimidation through force to subdue demonstrators gathered at multiple locations in Malé.
Officers of this unit in particular have been criticized for their constant use of derogative language against while stationed at duty at demonstrations and use of unprovoked violence.
Maldives’ ongoing political tension has led to nightly demonstration that call for the release of detainees proven to have been jailed unfairly and for President Yameen’s resignation.
A number of demonstrators were violently arrested and officers had again used pepper spray and tactics to subdue them against journalist as well.
Journalists from both RaajjeTV and SanguTV had to be taken to hospital after having been subject to the police’s crackdown.
On 16th February, the police’s crackdown on journalists led to activists sustaining multiple reported injuries and RaajjeTV journalist Hussain Hassan had been repeatedly beaten.
