Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Alamgir found guilty of homosexuality



Criminal Court has found MD Alamgir, a young Bangladeshi national who has admitted to engaging in sexual acts with multiple men, including several high-profile Maldivians, guilty of homosexuality.

Alamgir, 26, plead guilty to the charge during a closed hearing on Monday evening. 
 MD Alamgir, 26


The hearing was initially held online, before all parties were asked to attend the court in-person.

At the court, Alamgir said he wished to maintain his guilty plea.

Both sides then moved to discussions regarding the penalty.

Alamgir asked the court for the minimum sentence possible.

Though the sentence was discussed during the hearing, it was not immediately clear what the prosecution demanded.

Judge Ali Adam found Alamgir guilty of the charge of homosexuality, and announced the sentence would be issued on Wednesday.

Alamgir was arrested on July 12, after videos leaked online showing him engaging in sex with multiple men.

The videos purportedly show Alamgir having sex with Ahmed Nazim Abdul Sattar, a prominent lawyer and younger brother of Parliament speaker, former president Mohamed Nasheed, former Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed (Colonel Nasheed), and Sergeant Abdul Rahman Rafeeu, a senior police officer from the Drug Enforcement Department (DED). All three have been pressed with charges.

The videos also purportedly show Alamgir with muezzins and school teachers.

Via Sun

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Amendment to make homosexuality major criminal offence





An amendment was put forth during the Parliament session held on Tuesday to bring changes to the Penal Code of Maldives in order to make homosexuality a serious criminal offence in Maldives.

The amendment was submitted by MP for Maamigili constituency, leader of Jumhooree Party Qasim Ibrahim.

Qasim said that homosexuality needed to be included among the serious criminal offences dictated under the Penal Code of Maldives.

He further noted that seeing this as an ordinary crime allows offenders to easily walk back into society during investigative stages and further spread such actions.

Currently, under the Penal Code, there are 12 crimes listed as major crimes in Maldives. This includes murder, terrorism, financing terrorism and money laundering. Recently child abuse and rape were included in this list.


This amendment comes after numerous explicit videos of Maldivians engaging in homosexuality were leaked on social media.

While criminal charges have been pressed against some of them, the others remain unscathed by authorities.


Via Sun.mv

Friday, August 12, 2022

Maldives Police to arrest 38 men after gay sex videos leak on social media


A month after after gay sex videos and screen grabs of men having sex with other men leaked on social media, the Maldives police have arrested four persons and said it intends to charge 34 other men. Those arrested include a police officer and the brother of former President and current speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed.

Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed
If convicted the men face up to eight years in prison and 100 lashes.

Rights organisations have slammed the police for the crackdown on the LGBTQI community in an effort to appease extremist groups in the country.

Gay Sex Videos Leaked

The gay sex videos and screen grabs were leaked on social media last month. Following a public outcry, the police arrested a Bangladeshi national on July 12, 2022. He was accused of filming himself having sex with other men. 

Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed told local media that they had identified 38 men who had engaged in sexual relations with the Bangladeshi national. This included politicians, prominent businessmen, and law enforcement officials.

The police said they would prosecute all the men identified in the videos. Commissioner Hameed said that the police have seized the passports of 18 men and imposed travel bans on them. The police have also informed the workplaces of the men identified in the videos, leading to the men being suspended or dismissed from work. 

Human Rights Watch accused the police of leading a politically motivated investigation. The organisation demanded that police should drop the cases and stop trying to identify the men in the videos who were engaged in consensual sexual intercourse.


Politically Motivated Investigation

“The Maldives authorities should immediately drop the unjust and apparently politically motivated investigations, and instead abide by international standards on rights protections,” Graeme Reid, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement

“The government should repeal laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relations, which discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens, migrants and tourists, and are a recipe for abuse.”

The Maldives penal code was amended in 2014 and criminalises same sex relations. Under the penal code, sexual relations with a person of the same sex is punishable with up to eight years in prison. There is additional penalty of 100 lashes under the country’s Islamic Sharia laws.

“The arrest of four men for consensual same-sex conduct shows the arbitrary nature of these discriminatory laws. The law leaves people open to blackmail and other abuse, and easily becomes a political tool in which those prosecuted bear the brunt of the abuse,” added Reid.








Maldives police arrest four men and target dozens more over leaked gay sex videos


Maldives police have arrested four men and are targeting 34 more after a series of gay sex videos were published online.

Police arrested a Bangladeshi sex worker on 12 July, who they claim filmed his encounters with men with intentions to blackmail them, according to Human Rights Watch.

Police commissioner Mohamed Hameed said that 38 men have been identified from the tapes, and on 28 July three were arrested.

Among them was a police officer and the brother of former president of Maldives, and current speaker of the house, Mohammed Nasheed.

Hameed has vowed to prosecute all 38 men. He said police have seized 18 passports and informed their workplaces.

In the Maldives, engaging in same-sex relations is a crime punishable by up to eight years in prison and, under Sharia law, 100 lashes.

Human Rights Watch called the arrests “politically motivated”, coming as Maldives government is facing intense criticism from “extremist Islamist groups”.

The government had been facing pressure from opposition supporters and Islamist groups for arresting 20 people involved in a violent anti-yoga riot while taking no action against the men allegedly in the leaked videos.

Officials detained 20 people, including two religious leaders and a former member of parliament, for their alleged involvement in an attack on an International Yoga Day event on 21 July.

Opponents called the event heretical, and on 25 July the Islamist Adhaalath party, a partner in the governing coalition, declared yoga forbidden.

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Maldives: Arrests for Gay Sex Politically Motivated

(New York) – Maldives authorities should drop cases against four men and cease investigations to identify others who may have engaged in consensual same-sex relations in steps that appear aimed to appease extremist groups, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should take immediate measures to repeal the provisions of Maldives’ 2014 penal code that makes “unlawful sexual intercourse” and “unlawful sexual contact” criminal offenses, contrary to international human rights standards.

Police in the Maldives said they are investigating dozens of individuals and have sought to frame charges against three men arrested on July 28, 2022, including a police officer and the brother of a prominent politician, Mohamed Nasheed, who is a former president and current speaker of parliament. The inquiries and arrests were apparently based on leaked videos and screengrabs that allegedly depicted the men having sex with a Bangladeshi man, who had been arrested on July 12. If convicted, the men face up to eight years in prison and 100 lashes.

“The Maldives authorities should immediately drop the unjust and apparently politically motivated investigations, and instead abide by international standards on rights protections,” said Graeme Reid, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. “The government should repeal laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relations, which discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens, migrants and tourists, and are a recipe for abuse.”

Police launched investigations after a number of videos and screengrabs were leaked on social media. The Bangladeshi national was arrested for engaging in unlawful sexual conduct and for allegedly making the video recordings. International human rights law obligates the state to provide him free legal counsel since he cannot afford a lawyer.

The police then summoned and questioned the three men who were identified in the videos and they were subsequently arrested. In a media interview, the Commissioner of Police, Mohamed Hameed, said that 38 people had been identified as having had same-sex relationships with the Bangladeshi man, and that they would all be prosecuted after investigation. The authorities have seized the passports of 18 people linked to these police investigations.

The arrests occurred while the Maldives government is facing backlash from extremist Islamist groups for detaining over 20 people, including two religious leaders and a former member of parliament for their alleged involvement in a violent attack on an event celebrating International Yoga Day on June 21. These groups deemed the event, attended by government officials and foreign diplomats, as heretical, a celebration of idolatry or polytheism. On July 25, the Adhaalath party – a partner in the ruling coalition whose leader is the minister of home affairs – declared yoga forbidden.

Prior to the arrest of Mohamed Nasheed’s brother, opposition supporters, as well as Islamist groups, had been using social media to pressure the government about its arrests for the Yoga Day attacks while taking no action against the people allegedly involved in the leaked videos.

The administration of President Ibrahim Solih has failed to credibly address threats to free expression and other rights by Islamist groups, Human Rights Watch said. The administration has neglected other essential reforms, leaving the justice system vulnerable to pressure from powerful interest groups, including groups that advocate violence against critics of the government.

In May 2021, Nasheed was critically injured in an assassination attempt, for which he blamed on religious extremists. He has recently criticized the Solih administration for appeasing the Adhaalath party.

Prior to the reform of the Maldives penal code in 2014, same-sex relationships were only regulated under Sharia, or Islamic law. Under the revised penal code, section 411(a)(2) punishes “sexual intercourse with a person of the same sex” with up to eight years in prison, while section 411(d) stipulates an additional penalty of up to 100 lashes under Sharia. Section 412 prohibits unlawful sexual conduct with a penalty of up to eight years. These provisions are applicable to both men and women.

Criminalizing adult consensual same sex-conduct contravenes broadly accepted international legal standards. Arrest for consensual same-sex relations is arbitrary. Laws against same-sex conduct make people easy targets for blackmail, extortion, and political manipulation. Even when not enforced, such laws have a chilling effect on same-sex activity.

Consensual sexual relations are protected under the human right to privacy and nondiscrimination, and the right to be protected against arbitrary and unlawful interference with an individual’s private and family life and their reputation or dignity. Criminalizing same-sex intimacy violates these international norms and standards, as affirmed by the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which monitors compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and by the UN independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“The arrest of four men for consensual same-sex conduct shows the arbitrary nature of these discriminatory laws,” Reid said. “The laws leave people open to blackmail and other abuse, and easily become a political tool in which those prosecuted bear the brunt of the abuse. The government should repeal the laws immediately.



Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Leaked videos: Police seek formal charges against three



Maldives Police Service has forwarded the cases of three people who had homosexual relations with a Bangladeshi man to the Prosecutor General's Office for charging.

MD Alamgiri filmed himself having homosexual relations with a large number of Maldivian men, including politicians, businessmen, and government employees. While Alamgiri has now been arrested, the videos are still being leaked.

The police are seeking to raise formal charges against Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed's brother, Nazim Abdul Sattar, former Nolhivaram MP Mohamed 'Colonel' Nasheed, and Abdul Rahman Rafeeq, an officer of the police's Drug Enforcement Department.

The Prosecutor General's Office confirmed that the police investigated the cases of the three men and sent them to the office for prosecution. The charges were requested under the Penal Code and the Sexual Offenses Act.

L to R: Colonel Mohamed Nasheed, Abdul Rahman Rafeeq, Nazim Abdul Sattar


If convicted under the Sexual Offense Act, the trio faces five to seven years in prison. A prison sentence will also be handed under the Penal Code.

In an interview with AVAS on Tuesday, Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed said 38 people had been identified as having had same-sex relationships with Alamgiri. They will be sent for prosecution as soon as their cases are investigated, he said.

Police said Monday that they had seized the passports of 18 people in connection with the case.

The police said as soon as the identities of the people in the videos are verified, the information is shared with their workplaces. Based on the information shared by the police, the agencies have now suspended some employees and dismissed some.


Via  Avas

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

State issues no-fly order on former MP and expat over same-sex allegation charges

Maldives government has issued a no-fly order on former Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed and a Bangladeshi national, Alamgir over same-sex allegation charges.

Mihaaru reports that the former MP and the expat were issued no-flying orders after Maldives Police Service commenced investigation to confirm the authenticity of the allegation. 
former Nolhivaram MP & DRP leader Mohamed Nasheed


Meanwhile, the expat allegedly involved in the case was previously summoned to Police headquarters for questioning.

Police had also confirmed that a case of nude video leak and subsequent blackmail over same-sex acts were being investigated by the authority since late-March 2022.

During a press conference held on March 27, Police further claimed on identifying the perpetrators behind the blackmail and video leak.

Police reports that the suspects involved in the video leak and blackmail had attempted to ransom a total of MVR10 million for the videos.

However, authorities have not been able to confirm if the suspects had sold the videos.

Recently several nude videos were flagged across several social media platforms.

Among the individuals who were apparently involved in same-sex acts included Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed's relative Nazim Sattar.

A leaked video had shown an individual who appears to be Sattar engaged in same-sex activities with the alleged Bangladeshi national, Alamgir.

In addition to this, another leaked still image showed what appears to be South-Henveiru MP Hussain Shaheem tucked between a yet unidentified male and female; all three lying with bare bodies.

Monday, July 27, 2015

80-year-old man arrested on charges of sexually abusing eight-year-old girl

An 80-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing an eight-year-old girl. The police said the suspect gave money to the girl and forced himself on the underage victim.

The elderly man was taken into custody by the upper north police division around 3:30pm yesterday based on information from a member of the public, the police said.

The police did not reveal either the identity of the suspect or the island from which he was arrested. A joint investigation by the police and the gender ministry is underway.

Earlier this month, 14 men and one woman were arrested on the island of Fuvahmulah on suspicion of forcing a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl into prostitution.

Meanwhile, local NGO Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC) last week expressed concern with the “hidden epidemic of child abuse that continues unabated in the country”.

A total of 339 cases of child abuse were reported from January to June this year, ARC noted in a press release, which represented a significant increase compared to the previous year. A total of 423 cases were reported in 2014.

ARC noted that many cases of child abuse go unreported every year.

“ARC wishes to reiterate that it is a grave injustice to withhold information regarding cases of child abuse, and also a failure to fulfil a citizen’s legal responsibility,” the press release stated.

“ARC calls on the community to break the culture of silence and to report suspected abuse, in order to protect children from all forms of violence and abuse.”

The NGO also expressed concern over shortcomings in the child protection system and the legal framework currently in place.

“Vulnerable children still continue to be unprotected due to systematic flaws in the legal, judicial and social sectors tasked with the promotion and protection of the rights of the child in Maldives,” the NGO warned.

ARC urged the government to expedite the passage of new legislation on child protection, “while ensuring that provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child are fully reflected in the new Act.”

Meanwhile, following the arrests in the Fuvahmulah child prostitution case, opposition Jumhooree Party MP Abdulla Riyaz asked the parliament’s government oversight committee to investigate the failure to publicise a mandatory national registry of child sex offenders.

The former police commissioner noted that article 57 of the 2009 Child Sexual Abuse (Special Provisions) Act requires information about offenders to be made publicly available by the state agency responsible for the protection of children.

“In this regard, for the safety and protection of other citizens from offenders, and to eliminate possibilities for repetition of such offences, complete information about the offenders should be published in an internet website providing easy access to the information, and a mechanism should be established to identify offenders by their national identification numbers via short message service,” the provision states.

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