South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), a regional network of human rights defenders, strongly condemns the attempted assassination of former Maldives president and current Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed on 6 May 2021.
Nasheed was critically injured after a bomb exploded near his car in Male and Police had arrested three men linked to Islamic extremism in connection with the blast.
Speculation has focused on religious ‘extremists’ and political opponents involved in money laundering and corruption with a list of people who were involved in it was sent to parliament on 5 May 2021, the day before the blast happened. Yet, the motives remain unclear and there has been no claim of responsibility.
This has also evoked the popular unresolved murders and disappearances in past linked to extremist groups such as the murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed and MP Dr. Afrasheem Ali and the disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla. We believe that the government should reassert efforts to confront the threats by extremists.
Therefore, SAHR strongly urges the Government of Maldives to conduct an impartial investigation into these incidents and to follow due process, and bring perpetrators to justice.
On behalf of the members of South Asians for Human Rights,
Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy
Chairperson
Dr. Roshmi Goswami
Co-Chairperson