Police yet to give any details, we just want justice: Yameen Rasheed's family

Family of writer Yameen Rasheed has said that police is yet to give them any “clear information” regarding his murder.

Yameen’s family members joined well-wishers in front of the Embassy of the Maldives in Sri Lanka on Monday, where they called for justice in Yameen’s murder.

Participants held red balloons in addition to signs with messages to the Maldivian authorities, seeking answers. The balloons were marked with the letter “Y” for Yameen and a “question mark", for his best friend and journalist Ahmed Rilwan, who was abducted in August 2014.

A number of media organizations had covered the event, where Yameen’s cousin told them that the family just wants "justice for Yameen”.

She expressed concern over the speed of the investigation, as well as over the fact that police are yet to provide the family with any details of the investigation.

Noting that Yameen’s residence, Maafannu Spatula, where he was stabbed over 30 times early morning on April 23, was surrounded by CCTV cameras, Yameen’s cousin said that the family is yet to be informed of what had happened.

She had a hard time describing the state of Yameen’s body, saying that those who saw his body, even after it was cleaned for burial, “can do nothing but cry, it was so bad”.

“He was just writing about his views. Maybe that was a crime. Nobody knows up to now. We are just waiting for the answers. We just want somebody to find the truth and given justice for him,” she said.

Sandya Eknaligoda, the wife of missing Sri Lankan journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda's was also at the demonstration carrying a sign that read ‘free speech is not a crime’.

Sri Lanka's missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda's wife, Sandya joins protest calling for justice for Yameen Rasheed. Photo: RaajjeMV

Former President Mohamed Nasheed- who has called for an impartial, international inquiry into Yameen's murder- thanked Sandya for her support in seeking justice for Yameen.

Yameen’s father, Hussain Rasheed, who traveled to Sri Lanka following his son's brutal killing, appealed to the diplomatic community to pressure the Maldivian government into expediting investigations into his son’s murder and the abduction of Rilwan. The family has also called to enlist international investigators in the investigation.

Prior to his death, Yameen Rasheed had reported the various death threats he had received to the police, who had failed to protect his life. Amnesty International has called on the government to investigate the police’s failure to save the writer’s life.