Police release former JSC member Velizinee immediately after arrest
She was arrested on Tuesday night in relation to a police investigation
Aishath Velizinee | Facebook
The police service has released former Judicial Service Commission (JSC) member Aishath Velizinee after her arrest on Tuesday night.
The police on Wednesday stated that Velizinee is now under her family’s custody after doctors advised that she be hospitalized.
She was arrested in relation to an investigation following her return to Maldives after years of living abroad. The police have also stated that they are still continuing with their probe.
During her time out of the country, Velizinee had taken to social media to voice opinions contradictory to Islamic doctrine and had even proclaimed herself as a prophet. This angered the scholars at the Islamic Ministry enough to declare her an apostate on 29 March 2017.
The police had issued a summons for Velizinee last year after many Maldivians voiced outrage over her statements online.
Islamic scholar Ali Zaid has said that apostates should be arrested and shown the error of their ways and that mental illness is not a good enough reason to excuse anti-Islamic statements.
Some have urged authorities to check Velizinee’s mental health.
