Defence Minister forbids soldiers to publicly participate in politics

Minister of Defence and National Security Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim said soldiers must forgo rights granted to civilians, refrain from politics, and limit their political participation to voting only, as stipulated in the Constitution and military law.

Speaking at an early-morning flag hoisting ceremony on Sunday (April 21) as part of the military’s 121 anniversary celebration, Nazim stated that there is “no room for politics in the military as long as I remain in this office”.

“Every soldier has to accept that some of the rights granted to a civilian in an open society are restricted to a soldier. One of these rights is the right to participate in political activities. I would like to tell you that the Constitution and the military law have curbed these rights from the soldier for a greater and larger purpose,” Nazim stated, according to local media.