President Muizzu blamed the MDP and its 2013 “fun without fear” campaign slogan for promoting party culture and a “decline in Islamic values”, following a party on April 18 after which a 21 year-old woman had fallen from a ninth storey building. He also urged police to improve transparency and regain public trust. Separately, a state minister for social and family development, Aishath Zuhurbaan, accused protesters of encouraging “irreligious behaviours” such as consuming substances, not covering up, and defaming government institutions.
The Human Rights Commission criticised police disclosure of the 21-year old woman’s identity and specific CCTV evidence while the case is in its initial stages of investigation.
Immigration officers detained 51 migrant workers from Raa Dhuvaafaru following a 10-hour raid operation.
The Malé City Council approved 1,369 new housing units as part of a redevelopment of the Sinamalé housing project in the capital. The initial project agreement, signed in August 2023, was awarded to Hong Kong-based developer S.F Project Consultancy.
The Maldives National University hosted a graduation ceremony for 349 students at the main campus in Malé.
Human Rights Watch called on the government to reinstate three Supreme Court justices, who were suspended in February. HRW’s Asia Director Elaine Pearson expressed “grave concern” about the conduct of the Judicial Service Commission in suspending the judges. The international community should urge the president to end such threats to democracy, she added.