Maldives crashes to 103rd in RSF Press Freedom Index

Reporters without Borders released their worldwide Press Freedom Index for 2013 on Wednesday. The index ranks countries according to levels of press and media freedoms. Countries with the best levels of press freedom are ranked highest. The Maldives fell 30 places to 103rd place this year. Fiji, which suffered a coup in 2006, was also placed alongside the Maldives. According to Reporters without Borders: “In the Maldives… the events that led to the resignation of President Nasheed led to violence and threats against journalists in state TV and private media outlets regarded as pro-Nasheed by the coup leaders.” Reporters without Borders...

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Man arrested for sexual molestation of minor

by Ali Shinan A man has been arrested from Baa atoll Thulhaadhoo island on charges of sexual molestation of a minor. Police said that they received the case on Friday and that the 21-year-old man was arrested on Saturday afternoon. His detention has been extended by 15 days. Maldives has seen a rising trend in child sexual abuse. Via C...

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Man arrested for sex with minor

by Ali Shinan Police have concluded investigations and forwarded for prosecution the case of a 20-year-old in Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhuffushi for having sex with a 16-year-old. The age of majority in Maldives is 18. Mohamed Adam's case was forwarded to the Prosecutor General's Office on 16 January, police said. Police started investigating the matter after receiving a report on 6 November. However, they did not give details. The number of child sexual abuse cases have been increasing recently. Police statistics show that this month alone 42 cases of child sexual molestation were filed. Via C...

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Man arrested for sex with 13-year-old girl

by Ali Shinan A man has been arrested in Thaa atoll Hirilandhoo island for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl. A 39-year-old man was arrested around 2330 hours on Monday night for the sexual molestation of the child, police media official Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef said. Police arrested him after getting a complaint around 2230 hours. Haneef said that the court has extended his detention by 15 days. Via C...

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Bilehdhoo man arrested for sexual molestation of boys

by Misbah Abbas A janitor at Faafu atoll Bilehdoo's Munavvar Mosqu has been arrested on charges of sexually molesting some boys. The 52-year-old man was arrested around 1400 hours on 11 January after a court order was issued following a case filed by the Ministry of Gender and Human Rights at police. A source from Bilehdhoo said that such rumors about the man tend to surface in the island from time to time. However, no official agency has looked into such cases before. Recently, the number of cases of sexual molestation of under-aged boys and girls have increased. Via C...

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No intention to reverse decision to charge 15 year-old with fornication: PG’s office

The Prosecutor General’s (PG) office has “no intention” of reversing the decision to charge a 15 year-old child abuse victim with fornication, local media has reported. An official from the PG’s office told local newspaper Haveeru that the decision to charge the 15-year-old from Shaviyani Atoll Feydhoo with fornication was made after extensive assessment of the case. Back in June 2012, the same minor – a school student at the time – gave birth to a baby later discovered buried in the outdoor shower area of a home on Feydhoo. The discovery led to the arrest of four people, including the 15 year-old girl’s mother and step father. Haveeru...

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Police arrest 52 year-old man on suspicion of molesting children

Police have arrested a 52 year-old man from the island of Bileiydhoo in Faafu Atoll on suspicion of molesting young children on the island. Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef confirmed the man was arrested yesterday at 1:52pm, after they obtained an arrest warrant from the court. ‘’We can confirm that the man was accused of molesting young boys on the island,’’ Haneef said, adding that as the case involved minors police could not provide further details. Bileiydhoo Council Chairman Abdulla Zuhury told Minivan News that the police arrested the man after obtaining a warrant. ‘’The case was not reported to the council, some islanders...

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Government schedules talks over reforming sexual abuse laws

The Maldivian government has said it remains committed to legislative reforms regarding the treatment of minors and other victims of sexual offences in the country. President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad told Minivan News the government had scheduled meetings next week with the both the environment and Islamic ministries to amend local laws that he contended, in certain cases, punished sexual abuse victims as if they were criminals. The government last week announced it was looking to review legislation in the country in line with relevant authorities amidst international media coverage of a decision by the Prosecutor General...

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Maldives government to review laws that “victimise” sexually abused minors

The Maldivian government has today said it will review and potentially “correct” laws in the country it claims victimise young women and minors who have suffered sexual abuse. President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad told Minivan News the government would be holding consultations with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and other relevant authorities to discuss how minors who have been sexually abused were being treated in the country. The comments were made as the Prosecutor General (PG’s) Office today confirmed it had pressed charges against a 15 year-old girl from the island of Feydhoo in Shaviyani Atoll for having “consensual...

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Man arrested while sexually molesting minor

by Misbah Abbas A 49-year-old man has been arrested in Faafu atoll Nilandhoo island while he was in the midst of sexually molesting a 6-year-old girl. Police apprehended the man at the scene of the crime on the evening of 2 January after a tip-off. The island court has extended the man's detention period by 15 days, the police said. Recently, child sexual abuse cases are increasing in the Maldives, too. Via C...

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54-year-old man arrested for sexual molestation of 10-year-old girl

A 54-year-old man has been arrested in Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Gadhdhoo for sexually molesting a 10-year-old girl. The man was arrested on Sunday night. The matter was reported to police on Sunday night itself. Police said they are investigating the matter. A source from Gadhdhoo said that the man had denied the allegations although rumors of his incest were abound in the island. Via C...

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Man sentenced to 24 years for incest

by Ali Shinan A man has been sentenced to imprisonment for having forced his two daughters to have sex with him. The magistrate court of Haa Dhaalu atoll Kendhikulhudhoo sentenced 50-year-old Adam Ali of Riushaan House of Noonu atoll Maalhendhoo to 24 years. He was sent for trial after investigation by Manadhoo Police Station when police was referred the matter on 17 August 2012. He was found guilty sexual molestation of his 13-year-old and 17-year-old daughters. He was sentenced under sub-clause (b) of clause (a) of clause 15 under law number 12/2009 which states that anyone guilty of incest shall be sentenced to 24 years. Investigations...

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'Hoara' Ibbe transferred to house arrest

by Ahmed Arshad Former Undersecretary at the President's Office, Ibrahim Rasheed or 'Hoara' Ibbe has been transferred to house arrest after he was detained for alleged sexual molestation of a minor. The criminal court said that he was transferred to house arrest after he was produced at the court on Saturday to decide on whether to extend his arrest. The court decided to keep him under house arrest for 15 days. Rasheed was apprehended on the night of 6 December from Galolhu ward's Maavas house. He was arrested for alleged sexual contact with a 17-year-old girl. Via C...

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77-year-old man arrested for molesting 16-year-old boy

by Moosa Shan A 77-year-old man has been arrested from Haa Dhaalu atoll Kulhudhuffushi for allegedly forcibly engaging in homosexual molestation of a minor. The man was arrested for forcing sex on a 16-year-old boy after a warrant was issued when the case was filed at the court. The man was arrested on Friday evening. Police said that the court has extended his detention period by 15 days. A source from Kulhudhuffushi said that a man named Mohamed Ibrahim was arrested. Via C...

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Trial begins over case of military officer’s "indecent behavior" with security guard

by Mohamed Fazeen The first hearing was held at the criminal court of the case involving homosexuality between a military officer and a security guard. The defendants are Abdul Azeez Ali of Kanamaage in Baa atoll Thulhaadhoo who is a security guard at the Justice Building and military serviceman Ibrahim Mohamed of Dhilksaage house in Dhaalu atoll Maa-emboodhoo. The two stand accused of an "indecent act" after they had sexual contact in public near Hiriya School around 0152 hours on 6 September. Both of them denied the charges. The court gave them a period to get lawyers as they requested the trial to proceed with lawyers to speak on their...

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Man accused of child molestation voluntarily hands himself over to police

by Ahmed Ibrahim A man who was being sought by police for forcibly molesting a 13-year-old after entering a house in Male', has voluntarily handed himself over to the law. The man is 55-year-old Saeed Ahmed, Male' Dhafthar number 5113. Police said that the molestation took place on Tuesday night around 21:30pm. Police said that he had walked into the police station and handed himself over to the police a while ago. A man who had forced a 16-year-old girl into a home and forcibly molested her in Villingili was apprehended by police on Saturday with the help of members of the public after issuing a public notice for his search. Via ...

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