Maldives Police Service denies accusations of Amnesty International against Police

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has strongly denied allegations against this organization, as inferred by the public statement made by the Amnesty International 2012 published on its official website regarding the excessive use of force in demonstrations.

The Maldives Police Service informed the public and the general media that the Maldives Human Rights Commission has made observations in its Monitoring Report of the events which transpired on the 29 th May 2012.

“It is to be noted that they have explicitely stated that the Police did not use excessive force or physical abuse while countering the violent demonstrators who were throwing objects and using profanity against the officers acting on the frontline near the police barricades. All other actions by police officers near Chandhanee Magu and Majeedhee Magu was taken in order to control the chaos among the demonstrators where police officers were maledicted, attacked, pelted by the protestors with stones stacked at a construction site near the former Arabiyya School building. It is to be noted that six on-duty police officers suffered varying degrees of bodily injuries with two police vehicles vandalized during the demonstrations on the 29 May 2012,” MPS stated.

“Police arrested fifty two protestors on the 29 May 2012 on charges such as violence during protests, obstructing the duty of police, assaulting police officers, disobeying police orders and disturbing public peace. Among the demonstrators arrested on the date, five cases have been sent for prosecution while five more has concluded its investigations with all the protestors released from police custody. The noted MDP member of the Parliament, Honorable Imthiyaz Fahmy was arrested on charges for obstructing police duty, assaulting a female police officer on duty and disturbing the public peace; his case has been forwarded to Prosecutor General Office for prosecution. The Professional Standards Command of Maldives Police Service is currently investigating the complaint lodged by Mrs. Maimoona Haleem, wife of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Naseem for the use of excessive force during her arrest. The Human Rights Commission of Maldives has also had one case of verbal abuse by police officers which was lodged by a civilian with regard to the said demonstration. The Maldives Police Service has also been informed that there are no complaints lodged with the Police Integrity Commission, the State’s own independent body responsible for police accountability,” the statement of the MPS said.

While it is noted that individual organizations both local and international are making major efforts to review and professionalise the work of Maldives Police Service; it is also observed that the public statement made by the Amnesty International did not take into account the injuries to police officers or damages to police property during the demonstrations of 29 May 2012. Police Service urged Amnesty International to seek full objectivity of all prevailing circumstances when making public statements in the future.

“It is the legal and moral obligation of this law enforcement organisation to safeguard the civilians during public protests and our duty to ensure individuals act within the boundaries of peaceful assembly. Those who are inclined to resort to any form of violence throughout Maldives or against Police Officials are warned that the Police are empowered by law to use the necessary force to affect a lawful arrest. We wish to inform the public that the policy of the Maldives Police Service is to use minimum force in effecting arrests and in doing so to fulfil our obligations to act within the terms of the Constitution of Maldives and Police Act 5/2008,” the statement of the Police Service said.

Maldives Police Service urged the public to lodge complaints to the independent commissions mandated to oversee the work of this law enforcement organization, if there should be any malpractrice noted from our side. The Police assured the public that the Maldives Police Service is dedicated and committed to provide a service for the nation and will remain to do so in the future.