Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said that continuing to hold Yameen Rasheed’s murder trial behind closed doors is the same as giving “an encouraging message to those who want to silence journalists for good”.
In a statement issued on the one-year anniversary of the blogger’s murder, RSF called on Maldivian authorities “to open the trial of his accused murderers to the public and to journalists, so that all possible light can be shed on this case”.
Noting that the trial has been closed on the request of the prosecutor general, RSF highlighted that this was done under “a new provision that allows prosecutors to request a secret trial if they believe a circumstance that obstructs justice could arise in an open hearing”. However, RSF noted that the “kind of circumstance” had not been specified.
RSF’s head of Asia-Pacific desk, Daniel Bastard said that it “is essential that the Yameen Rasheed murder trial hearings should be open to the public and journalists”, adding that there ‘otherwise, there will inevitably be doubts about the verdict’.
Noting that “the impunity that characterizes crimes of violence against journalists in Maldives is a curse”, Daniel emphasized that choosing to continue the trial behind closed doors “is like an encouraging message to those who want to silence journalists for good”.
“The credibility of the justice system is at stake”, he added.
Well-known blogger, Yameen Rasheed was stabbed to death in the stairwell of his residence in the capital city on 23rd April 2017- he was stabbed over 30 times. Six suspects have been arrested over the murder, with the police saying that they “are Islamist fundamentalist who could not stand [Yameen’s] criticism of religious extremism”.
Being a democracy activist as well, Yameen had been a strong critic of the current government, and its various violations and unlawful acts, including corruption.
Yameen, who had been the recipient of multiple death threats while he was alive, had reported these threats to the Maldives Police Service, but to no avail. His family accuses police of negligence.
He was one of the main individuals involved in the search and call to find his best friend, journalist Ahmed Rilwan, who has been missing since August 2014.
Yameen would have turned 30 this month
