Week in review: August 17-24

The Maldives hit the international headlines this week as the High Court brought an end to the case of a 15 year old sentenced to flogging for pre-marital sex. The court overturned the girl’s sentence, judging her to have been unfit for trial. This, however, did not satisfy global human rights groups, with Avaaz continuing to take aim at the “appalling state” of women’s right in the Maldives. Local authorities, including the president and the attorney general, argued that the final outcome proved the current legal system works.

After having negotiated additional training for the police service, Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz returned from Turkey to controversy as he retweeted a letter urging officers to “say no” to presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed in next month’s elections. The Police Integrity Commission is now investigating the issue. The police force’s preparations for the polls began to take shape, with the announcement of Operation Blue Waves which will include the posting of additional officers throughout the atolls

As next month’s election drew closer, the Election Commission continued to receive much unwelcome attention – from internet hackers to political parties – with EC head Fuwad Thowfeek claiming that the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) had requested access to the commission’s IT software. PPM head and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom gave his view that the EC is unprepared, while Thowfeek continued to express supreme confidence. Civil society actors criticised any attempts to discredit the commission. PPM candidate  – Abdulla Yameen – returned from visiting the Indian Prime Minister, telling supporters that he had warned Manmohan Singh of the real extremism in the Maldives; encroachment upon people’s rights.