Teens arrested for assault over viral ‘bullying’ video

Two teenagers have on Thursday been arrested for assault on 15-year-old Nashfa Hassan, who was said to be missing after a video of her being verbally and physically attacked went viral.

The video shows three other girls, with a fourth recording, slapping Nashfa across the face several times while directing derogatory remarks at her.

The Maldives Police Service said Thursday night that an 18-year-old and 17-year-old have been arrested, two of the girls shown to be assaulting Nashfa in the video.

After the video gained traction on social meida, the attackers were labelled ‘bullies’ and heavily criticized. Two of the three girls involved in the violence have even publicly apologized for their behavior.

“What I did was not right…what she did was not right either. And what others are doing is not eight either. I just want to say I am sorry for everything. Everybody makes mistakes, this is mine” one of them said in an apology posted on Facebook.

Nashfa’s mother, Seema Ismail, told local newspaper Mihaaru that her daughter was attacked after the girls forced her out of her home. Seema said that a group of four girls had come to her house looking for her daughter.

“I asked her not go because the girls seemed somewhat suspicious. But she told me they were her friends and that she would be back soon so I allowed it” Seema had said.

The police found in their investigation of the case that Nashfa had been missing since 19th August, but her family had not reported the disappearance. Two days since announcing their search, Nashfa had turned up at a police station.