Amnesty condemns violent MNDF attack on a group of “peaceful women protesters” in Addu
01 Mar 2012, 12:38 AM
Amnesty International has condemned attacks on a group of women in Addu Atoll by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), after obtaining testimonies from victims of a crackdown on demonstrators at a rally during the recent visit to the MDP stronghold by new President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.
“The 20 women were ahead of a crowd of about 70 when the police stopped them, saying they had been ordered not to allow Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters in. The women wore the yellow headbands usually donned by MDP members,” Amnesty reported, in a statement published on Tuesday.
“The demonstrators halted their march and began to chant slogans against President Waheed, who was making his speech a couple of hundred metres away.
“They were then attacked by an army contingent which has been deployed alongside police in recent weeks.
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