Crime

Maldives urged to stop torture of detainees

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives has been informed of several instances of acts amounting to torture, it was claimed, but has failed to make significant and preventive interventions.

Published

7 years ago

March 19, 2018

The Maldives police and military have engaged in acts violating the Anti-Torture Act and the country’s human rights body has failed to make “significant and preventive interventions,” rights groups have claimed.

A joint statement from the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) called on the government to refrain from acts of torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of detainees arrested since the state of emergency declaration last month.

“The government must take immediate steps to restore the fundamental rights and dignity of those kept in state custody,” the three groups said last Thursday while listing the ways the Maldives was violating the 2013 Anti-Torture Act.

Earlier this month the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives accused police of using disproportionate force in some instances to disperse daily opposition demonstrations that have been taking place since February 1.