Parliament secretariat did not receive threat complaints

The parliament’s secretariat has on Wednesday said that it has not received any complaints concerning violence or threats against lawmakers.

Secretary-General Ahmed Mohamed said that no such cases have been filed recently.

However, MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, the deputy leader of opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) parliamentary group, had in February screen-captured a message threatening to ‘stab [him] to death’.

MP Fahmy had reported it to the police, who have said that investigation is ongoing. Officers have yet to make any arrests.

Former speaker of parliament, MP Abdulla Shahid along with MP Abdulla Riyaz, a former police commissioner as well, had called on the police and relevant authorities to investigate the threat.

Further, MP Eva Abdulla, also a longstanding member of MDP, publicized messages she received through the instant messaging application Viber from a number registered outside the says the sender would like to ‘meet [her] kids’.

Lawmakers, especially those aligned with the opposition, have expressed concern about their safety in parliament, citing that the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) no longer provides security detail to them.