Authorities using 'intelligence reports' as ploy to prosecute political rivals: MDP's Shifaz

The authorites have been using clandestine ‘intelligence reports’ as a ploy to have their political rivals prosecuted, said Mohamed Shifaz, the deputy leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party.

Shifaz said, speaking at a talk-show on RaajjeTV Tuesday night, that while said reports have been the grounds on which several individuals are arrested and remanded, they are not even part of trials.

This reflects statements made by a number of people, activists and members of political parties, arrested during Maldives’ drawn-out state of emergency declared in February. They have said that the judicial proceedings against them did not reflect the basis on which they were arrested.

Notably, the Criminal Court has ruled to release a number of people for lack of evidence. RaajjeTV’s journalist Mohamed Wisam, who was arrested along with the station programmes head Amir Saleem, was also arrested and remanded, but released on Tuesday "due to lack of evidence" despite police asking for an additional 5-day remand.

Shifaz, formerly a parliamentarian as well, also said that police have most likely not been investigating the allegations that they put forth against individuals that were arrested. Shifaz himself had been detained at Dhoonidhoo island for over a month.

Shifaz’ statements also echo allegations of the police influencing the process of prosecution and lawyers representing those arrested under President Abdulla Yameen’s contentious state of emergency have said that officers are have even been working at the same office as prosecutors.

He further said that the police are not held accountable for their actions and that the National Integrity Commission, the statutory body charged with overseeing officers of the law and customs, must face penalization for their ‘neglect’.

The police have been met with accusations of using disproportionate force and violent tactics when dealing with demonstrators calling for President Yameen’s resignation. Journalists covering said rallies have not been exempt from this treatment and injured reporters and activists have even been hospitalized.