mercoledì 27 marzo 2013

Pakistan, la bimba “blasfema” rischia di nuovo il carcere

Non è finita la via crucis di Rimsha, la bimba pachistana che la scorsa estate ha passato tre settimane per blasfemia, nonostante la giovane età (14 anni) e il grave disordine mentale (la sindrome di down). Secondo indiscrezioni l’agenzia di notizie sui cristiani BosNewsLife le autorità pachistane avrebbero riaperto il caso dopo la denuncia di uno dei poliziotti che ha seguito l’inchiesta. L’uomo avrebbe chiesto alla Corte Suprema una nuova indagine perché “era stato spinto dal governo a far cadere le accuse contro Rimsha a causa dello sdegno internazionale per il suo arresto”. A dare la notizia è la Legal Evangelical Association Development (Lead). Rimsha era stata arrestata il 17 agosto scorso e rinchiusa in una prigione vicino ad Islamabad per aver bruciato alcune pagine che contenevano i versetti del Corano.  La ragazzina era stata rilasciata l’8 settembre e il suo accusatore  Khalid Jadoon Chishti, l’imam di Mehrabad, lo slum di Islamabad dove è accaduto il fatto, era stato indagato per aver  fabbricato le prove, infilando fogli sacri nella busta di plastica piena di cenere e carta bruciata che la ragazzina portava con sé.  in prigione
Da allora Rimsha vive in un luogo segreto e molti cristiani hanno lasciato Mehrabad per paura di rappresaglie. Se il caso fosse riaperto la ragazzina rischierebbe il carcere a vita.
Ma non è soltanto Rimsha ad essere in pericolo. Mercoledì prossimo, il 27 marzo, un’altra cristiana Martha Bibi (a sinistra nella foto), 47 anni, rischia di essere condannata a morte per aver pronunciato delle frasi critiche verso Maometto durante un alterco con una donna musulmana. Il suo avvocato  Mushtaq Gill, direttore della Lead, racconta che la donna, che ha sette figli, “è stata arrestata nel 2007 nel villaggio di Kot Nanak Sigh dopo essere stata torturata e picchiata dai musulmani”.  Da allora Martha, che è stata rilasciata su cauzione 3 mesi dopo l’arresto, vive nell’ansia di non sapere quale sarà la sua sorte. “I sei anni di attesa l’hanno veramente provata – dice Gill a BosNewsLife -, l’ho incontrata prima del processo ed era molto tesa”. 
Se Martha sarà condannata a morte la sua sorte si unirà a quella di Asia Bibi (non sono parenti), la contadina cristiana che aspetta da diversi anni in carcere il processo di appello dopo una condanna in primo grado alla pena capitale. Asia è tenuta in isolamento per evitare che gli altri detenuti la uccidano e le sue condizioni psichiche non sono affatto buone.
In Pakistan i cristiani rappresentano il 2% della popolazione e sono duramente perseguitati. Lo scorso mese a Lahore una folla di musulmani ha dato fuoco a 180 case, una serie di negozi  e  due chiese. Spesso chi viene accusato di blasfemia rischia di essere linciato dalla folla. E’ accaduto lo scorso dicembre nella provincia di Sindh quando la folla inferocita ha fatto irruzione in commissariato e ha picchiato a morte un uomo sospettato di aver bruciato pagine del Corano. Qualche mese prima la stessa cosa era successa a  Ahmedpur Est, per non parlare dei due politici, il governatore della provincia del Punjab  Salman Taseer e il ministro federale  delle Minoranze Shahbaz Bhatti, cattolico, che furono uccisi nel 2011 per aver proposto una revisione delle leggi sulla blasfemiauna serie di norme introdotte nel 1982 e nel 1986, con l’intento di proteggere l’Islam e la sensibilità religiosa della maggioranza musulmana, formulate in termini vaghi e applicate arbitrariamente da parte della polizia e della magistratura tanto da equivalere a minacce e persecuzioni delle minoranze religiose e dei musulmani stessi.
Dal 1990 sono state assassinate oltre cinquanta persone sospettate di blasfemia e secondo il Centro per la ricerca e gli studi sulla sicurezza di Islamabad le accuse sono in aumento.

domenica 24 marzo 2013

Sri Lanka: UN resolution shows government failure to investigate past and present rights abuses.

A new UN resolution does a good job of highlighting past and ongoing human rights violations in Sri Lanka, but regrettably fails to establish an independent and international investigation into alleged crimes under international law, Amnesty International said.
The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva this morning passed a resolution on the need to promote reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka following the country’s armed conflict, which ended in 2009.
Yolanda Foster, Amnesty International’s Sri Lanka expert, said:
“This is a positive development. UN Member States have sent a clear signal to the Sri Lankan government that crimes of the past cannot simply be ignored, but need to be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.
“The text also crucially highlights the still very worrying human rights situation in Sri Lanka today, and calls for regular UN reporting on the implementation of the resolution, including of ongoing human rights violations.
“Since the conflict ended, we have seen the government crack down on dissenting views in a bid to increase its grip on power. Human rights defenders, journalists and the judiciary are among those that have been targeted through threats, harassment or even violent attacks – this has to stop.
“However, it is regrettable that the resolution fails to establish an independent and international investigation into the armed conflict, and alleged crimes under international law by both the government and the Tamil Tigers. It is clear that the Sri Lankan government is unwilling and unable to investigate these events itself, so an international probe is the only way to obtain the truth and justice necessary for genuine reconciliation.”
The HRC will next review the resolution’s implementation in September 2013, before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November, currently set to take place in Colombo.
“This resolution should be a wake-up call for all Commonwealth countries - they cannot leave grave human rights violations in Sri Lanka unaddressed.  Commonwealth leaders must ensure before they meet in November that justice for past crimes has been served in Sri Lanka,” Foster said.
AI Index: PRE01/140/2013
 

MALDIVES - One million people sign petition calling for end to flogging of women and children.

One million people sign petition calling for end to flogging of women and children in the Maldives thumbnail
An online petition calling on the Maldivian government to end the practice of flogging women and children for the crime of fornication has been signed by more than one million people worldwide.
The Avaaz.org petition, titled ‘Horror in Paradise’, follows the sentencing of a 15 year-old rape victim to 100 lashes and eight months house arrest, for confessing to a separate instance of fornication during the investigation into the alleged murder of her baby. The child was found buried in an outside shower area.
“Let’s put an end to this lunacy by hitting the Maldives government where it hurts: the tourism industry,” declares the Avaaz petition.

mercoledì 20 marzo 2013

MALDIVES - Domestic Violence Act has done little to curb abuse due to lack of implementation: Hope for Women.

Domestic Violence Act has done little to curb abuse due to lack of implementation: Hope for Women thumbnail
The Maldives’ ratification last year of a Domestic Violence Act has done little to curb the abuse of women, minors and other vulnerable people despite provisions to do so, a leading civil society expert and former gender minister has said.
Aneesa Ahmed, Chairperson for the Hope for Women NGO, told Minivan News that despite extensive provisions in the act, little progress had been made by police, the judiciary and wider Maldivian society to address domestic violence and abuse.
“The problem we are seeing is that measures provided in the act are not being implemented. There is no mechanisms to do that. Police have been preparing for the act, but they are handicapped in doing so,” Aneesa claimed.
“There are no safe houses, no shelters for victims of abuse. The act doesn’t solve the problem on its own, we need education and a greater understanding or rights and the need for sensitivity.”
Aneesa’s comments were made after 130 UN member states last Friday (March 15) signed up to a plan to try and prevent violence towards women and girls as part of a wider international strategy.
The declaration calling for an end to gender-based violence was passed despite opposition from Russia, the Vatican and a number of unidentified Islamic nations.
“Iran, Libya, Sudan and other Muslim nations ended threats to block the declaration and agreed to language stating that violence against women could not be justified by ‘any custom, tradition or religious consideration,’” reported AFP.

Maldives Human Rights Ambassador: “Amnesty International is biased; sometimes excessive force is absolutely necessary”.

“Amnesty International is biased; sometimes excessive force is absolutely necessary”: Human Rights Ambassador thumbnail

Human Rights Ambassador of the President’s Office “Sandhaanu” Ahmed Ibrahim Didi has accused Amnesty International of “fabricating stories about the human rights situation in the Maldives” and of releasing reports about the Maldives without conducting any studies or research.
The Human Rights Ambassador has previously held a press conference declaring that there “should be no opposition parties”, and that “I cannot believe, in fact, I do not at all want to believe, that there can be anyone with views opposing that of the government.
He has also labelled the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) an “unlawful organisation which commits terrorist activities and attempts to undermine the powers of the state”, and called for the Elections Commission to dissolve it, on the grounds that “they shouldn’t be allowed to exist.”
In a number of letters to the NGO obtained by Minivan News, the Human Rights Ambassador initially spoke highly of the international human rights NGO, crediting it for the freedoms of assembly and expression currently constitutionally guaranteed to the country’s citizens.
“All Maldivians, especially me, should be very thankful to Amnesty. They helped me immensely back when I was jailed. I must say that, if not for Amnesty, we might still be stuck in an extension of that long 30 year regime [former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration]. Back then, we did not even have the rights guaranteed to a German frog. That’s right, even the German frog has won a court case which gave him the right to scream as loudly as he likes,” Ibrahim Didi said at a press briefing held on Wednesday.
“It was an initiative and pressure of Amnesty International that led to Maldives signing the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). When vocal youngsters on the street yell ‘baaghee’ [traitor] and vulgarities at me, I don’t say anything and instead smile at them because they are using a right that I guaranteed for them,” Ibrahim Didi said.
“But when these youthful protesters claim that the freedom of expression they use is a right they ensured for themselves, then they are simply wrong. I did it. I got those rights for us. It is I, who achieved the guarantee of these rights, who is now here is the Human Rights Ambassador,” Ibrahim Didi stated.
“Now, going back to the issue, although Amnesty was of great help, now they are being the exact opposite. Now they are acting wrongfully,” he said.
“Amnesty’s Abbas Faiz claims to have conducted studies, but actually they are righting these reports without having conducted any formal research or studies. They are causing so much trouble in the country,” the ambassador alleged.
“I am deeply saddened to utter such words against Amnesty, words which will doubtless upset them. However, this is my responsibility as the Human Rights Ambassador placed in the President’s Office. I have also twice written directly to Amnesty about these concerns,” he stated.
Ibrahim Didi did not clarify whether or not he had received responses to the letters sent to the international human rights civil society. He shared copies of the letters with the media, the first sent on October 30, 2012 titled “Ref: Police violence as ex-president is arrested on 8th October in Fares Mathoda” and the second sent on March 7, 2013 titled “Ref: Former President’s arrest ‘selective justice’ – Amnesty International.”
“Amnesty report extremely biased”
In a letter sent to the NGO regarding the first arrest of former President Mohamed Nasheed to present him to court in October 2012, Ibrahim Didi called Amnesty’s statements regarding the issue “incorrect and extremely biased”, stating they were issued “blindly without any research.”
The letter then aims to explain why the detention of Nasheed was necessary, stating that it was in relation to the former President having “violated the country’s constitution several times”. The letter, however, only offered as example the contentious case of Nasheed’s detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed, calling the detention “the most ruthless action ever conducted by the military against a citizen of the country in the known history”.
Ibrahim Didi also dismissed any allegations of executive involvement in the arrest of Nasheed, insisting that “the judiciary of the state operates independently.”
He then denied the allegations made in the Amnesty report, repeatedly stating that the NGO had “failed to conduct sufficient research”.
“When [Nasheed] was arrested and there was no confrontation between Nasheed’s supporters and the police. The ex-foreign Minister did not attack the police, for him to be kicked and pepper sprayed on his face as Amnesty’s report says. There was clearly no resistance displayed to use pepper spray in the whole operation. The whole operation was recorded on video and televised on local media,” he claimed in the letter.
“The source of Amnesty’s report was based on an eyewitness and without further investigation it was broadcast, tarnishing the Maldivian police integrity. Hence, we strongly urge Amnesty International to refrain from such exploitations without fully probing into facts as it leads to destruction of peace and harmony in the country.”
The Human Rights Ambassador, while dismissing allegations of police brutality, also offered justification for the police actions of February 8, 2012:
“We vehemently deny any accusation of police brutality during President Mohamed Waheed’s period (since February 2012) but on 8th February the police had to use force to disperse an aggressive Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters who were armed with long sticks and bricks in their hands to batter the police force. And we would also like to note that the police personnel and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) personnel were extremely exhausted on that day while there was no proper command and control formed after Nasheed’s resignation on 7th February sparking chaos in the whole country.”
In conclusion, Ibrahim Didi wrote that Amnesty International seemed to be highly concerned of human rights violations during Gayyoom’s regime, adding “it appears Amnesty International is indirectly rejecting any process of legality as those allegations against Maumoon not being investigated yet.”
Amnesty International had at the time released a report titled “The Other Side of Paradise: A Human Rights Crisis in the Maldives”, chronicling human rights abuses in the country since the controversial transfer of power in February 2012.
Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Jameel Ahmed had responded to the report at the time, saying the NGO had failed to seek any comments from the government. He did not, however, appear to dispute the contents of the report.
“Sometimes excessive force is absolutely necessary”
In a more recent letter, Ibrahim Didi once again accuses Amnesty of bias, stating:
“We strongly deny that the filing a court case against Nasheed is a ‘selective justice’ being served here as Amnesty International suspects,” the letter read.
“Former President Gayyoom’s rule has been also investigated for three long years during Nasheed’s 3 year term,” Ibrahim Didi wrote. “Apart from the wages and office expenses a Singapore law firm was hired for 25 million US dollars.”
“So we regret to say that Amnesty’s comments come without any research as usual and the statements are biased, favouring MDP. It looks as it a MDP statement. If one is a little bit fair of the comments of the situation, they would blame on the burning properties, attacking of the peaceful pedestrians in their so-called peaceful demonstrations,” Ibrahim Didi alleged.
“Moreover MDP militant parliamentarians behaved inside the parliament house like thugs, destroying government properties and attacking security forces. They have played hooliganism before foreign dignitaries inside the chambers. In this civilized world no one could see such violent scenarios even in African subcontinent,” he continued.
Ibrahim Didi further stated that contrary to what MDP might say, their protests were not peaceful and hence “to stop this kind of violent protests, sometimes excessive force is absolutely necessary to minimize damages.”
He further labels MDP’s demonstrations as “illegal”, adding “If these demonstrations are legal and peaceful, we the whole Maldivians can come out and demonstrate at any time. Some can come out to demonstrate to hang Nasheed and his power clique for robbing the state wealth, shrinking our economy.”
Ibrahim Didi states that the trial against Nasheed is not the only charge against him, but rather “the beginning of a series”.
Stating that “we always believe Nasheed is a mentally ill person”, Ibrahim Didi lists out a number of accusations against the former President. Among these, he states that “Nasheed used state TV and Radio to propagate his party’s agenda” and that “MDP activists along with chairperson ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik and Nasheed’s right hand lady, Mariya Ahmed Didi had formed Kangaroo Court and conducted rulings on other citizens.”
Ibrahim Didi then refers to the controversial transfer of power of February 7, 2012, saying Nasheed was either “mentally ill” or “intoxicated and his brain was not functioning properly” on the day.
Ibrahim Didi stated that the Commission of National Inquiry’s findings and the HRCM report proves that Nasheed had resigned voluntarily and that “this is not a disputed resignation at all as Amnesty says.”
The Ambassador said that he “wonders why [Nasheed]’s foreign friends love him so much”, and stated he knew why the local ones did.
“They have altogether robbed the state wealth and sold government assets at cut rates and treasured them for future and now looking forward for some more. Now all these criminal are on the street, the drug addicts and the drunkards. Together they are trying to evade from the courts verdict. This has nothing to do with political instability in the country,” he accused.
“The country is not in a red alert situation here because of some paid street hooligans who shout on the roads and attack innocent civilians.”
Following the arrest of Nasheed earlier this month, Amnesty International stated the arrest an example of “selective justice”, which “highlights the failure of the Maldives authorities to investigate other serious human rights abuses in the country.”

domenica 10 marzo 2013

India: quattro uomini a rischio esecuzione.

Quattro uomini sono a imminente rischio di esecuzione dopo che il presidente indiano ha respinto la richiesta di grazia. Gli uomini sono stati condannati a morte nel 2004 per il loro coinvolgimento in un attentato che uccise 22 persone. Gli uomini, Meesekar Madaiah, 66 anni, Gnanprakasham, 56 anni, Simon, 46 anni e Bilavendran, 62 anni, sono rinchiusi nella prigione di Hindalga, Belgaum, nello stato di Karnataka. I loro cognomi non sono noti.

AZIONE URGENTE:  http://www.amnesty.it/india_quattro_uomini_rischio_esecuzione

giovedì 7 marzo 2013

Bangladesh: Wave of violent attacks against Hindu minority.

A wave of violent attacks against Bangladesh’s minority Hindu community shows the urgent need for authorities to provide them with better protection, Amnesty International said.
Over the past week, individuals taking part in strikes called for by Islamic parties have vandalised more than 40 Hindu temples across Bangladesh.
Scores of shops and houses belonging to the Hindu community have also been burned down, leaving hundreds of people homeless.
The attacks come in the context of large scale violent protests that have been raging across Bangladesh for weeks over the country’s ongoing war crimes tribunal, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
“The Hindu community in Bangladesh is at extreme risk, in particular at such a tense time in the country. It is shocking that they appear to be targeted simply for their religion. The authorities must ensure that they receive the protection they need,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Bangladesh Researcher.
“All political parties in Bangladesh should condemn strongly any violence against the Hindu community, and to instruct all their members and supporters not to take part in such attacks.”
Survivors told Amnesty International that the attackers were taking part in rallies organised by the opposition Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and its student group Chhatra Shibir.
JI has publicly denied any involvement in violence against the Hindu community.
Attacks have happened across Bangladesh, but mostly in remote areas in the country. The latest attack took place today in Daudkandi village, south-eastern Comilla district, where a Hindu temple was vandalised and burned down.
One survivor told Amnesty International that on 28 February, his family’s village of Rajganj Bazar in the south-eastern Noakhali district was set on fire by people taking part in a JI-organised strike.
“They moved into our properties and set fire to 30 of our houses. Seventy-six families were living in these houses. They also set fire to our temples – all are now vanished,” the survivor said, who asked to remain anonymous out of concerns for his safety.
He said the authorities have provided temporary accommodation to the affected families, who had lost almost all their belongings to theft or destruction in the violence.
Another survivor said that on 2 March, a group of about 100 young men holding banners in support of JI looted and damaged four shops in Satkania near Chittagong and vandalised a Hindu temple in the village.
Bangladesh’s Hindu minority makes up only eight per cent of the population, and has historically been at risk of violence from the Muslim population – including during the independence war in 1971, and after elections in 2001.
“Given the obvious risks the Hindu minority faces in Bangladesh, these attacks were sadly predictable. We urge the authorities to take note of the violence and act to prevent further attacks,” said Faiz.
Tensions have been running high in Bangladesh in recent weeks as JI and its student wing have called strikes and mass protests against the ICT, which has found some of its senior members guilty for crimes committed during the 1971 war.
Protesters have also been involved in violent clashes with police, who have used tear gas, rubber bullets or live ammunition against them. At least 60 people have been killed, mostly by police fire, but among the dead are also several policemen.
“While there are credible reports that police firing may have followed violent attacks against them by protesters, police use of excessive force cannot be discounted”, Faiz said.  
AI Index: PRE01/110/2013
 

MALDIVES - Amnesty International welcomes Maldives government’s commitment to ensure protection of 15-year old girl.

Amnesty International welcomes Maldives government’s commitment to ensure protection of 15-year old girl
In a welcome move, the government of Maldives has added its voice to the mounting national and international concern about the sentence of flogging the Juvenile Court imposed on a girl of 15 last week. 

Maldives: Former President’s arrest “selective justice”.

The arrest of former President Mohamed Nasheed is an example of selective justice from the Maldives authorities and highlights their failure to investigate other serious human rights abuses in the country, Amnesty International said.

Nasheed, who resigned as President in February 2012 under disputed circumstances, was arrested in the Maldivian capital Male today.
He is accused of illegally ordering the arrest of a judge while in office, and on Wednesday will face trial for “unlawfully arresting an innocent person” under Maldivian law. . 
“Of course political leaders, including Nasheed, should be held to account - but the targeting of Nasheed is an example of selective justice,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Maldives Researcher.
“Amnesty International, and many others, have documented a wide range of human rights violations committed by security forces following Nasheed’s resignation. These include police violence against peaceful protesters and the deliberate targeting of Nasheed’s supporters.
“No one has yet been held to account for these abuses despite the huge amount of documentary evidence available. The Maldivian authorities must carry out a full investigation into alleged abuses by anyone, and not just target political opponents. 
“Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (1978-2008) has never been investigated or held to account for alleged abuses committed during his rule. All leaders should be held to account for alleged abuses and in fair trials.”

http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/maldives-former-president-s-arrest-selective-justice-2013-03-05

martedì 5 marzo 2013

MALDIVES - Tension surges in Male’ as police arrest former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has been arrested by police ahead of his trial hearing at Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court, scheduled for 4:00pm tomorrow (March 6).
Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef confirmed that Nasheed had been arrested and taken into police custody at 1:30pm today (March 5).
“We have received the order. Police have taken Nasheed into custody in order to produce him at Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court 16 hours from now,” Haneef told Minivan News.
Photos of the arrest showed several dozen police wearing balaclavas and black riot gear, several armed with rubber bullet guns, entering Nasheed’s family home in Male’ and emerging with the former president.
Shortly after the arrest, Minivan News observed President Mohamed Waheed’s brother Ali Waheed forced off his motorcycle by several dozen angry demonstrators on the main road Majeedee Magu, at the turnoff to Nasheed’s house. A second, larger group pulled Ali Waheed to safety, abandoning his motorcycle. The first group then attacked a parked military vehicle, smashing a window.
A group of people including Nasheed’s representative on the Commission of National Inquiry, Ahmed ‘Gaha’ Saeed, blocked the road, trying to calm the more violent protesters. One man had laid down in the middle of the street as part of a silent protest.
“People have waited a year since the coup and are very angry and unlikely to act reasonably. They could bring Male’ to a standstill,” Saeed said.
Former Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam, arriving at the scene, said “There is no plan. People are agitated, they are angry. There is no plan, there is just outrage.”
Nasheed’s latest trial hearing follows his exit from the Indian High Commission last month, after the Maldivian and Indian government came to an alleged “understanding” that he would be able to conduct a peaceful campaign and participate in an inclusive election.
The former president told Indian media on Sunday (March 3) that while he had ended his 11-day stay in the Indian High Commission, he was still not entirely free and feared an arrest warrant would be issued against him any day soon.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor confirmed to Minivan News that there were Special Operation (SO) officers outside Nasheed’s residence earlier today prior to his arrest.
“He has been taken away to Dhoonidhoo [prison], we are still in a state of shock,” Hamid said.
The former President sought refuge inside the High Commission building on February 13 after Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court ordered police to produce Nasheed at his trial hearing scheduled for later that day.
Nasheed has maintained that the charges against him – of detaining the Chief Criminal Court judge during his final days in office – are a politically-motivated effort to prevent him contesting the 2013 elections.
Nasheed spent 11 days inside the commission building before making an unannounced exit on February 23.
Following his exit from the High Commission, the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court issued a travel ban to Nasheed, preventing him from leaving the country.

domenica 3 marzo 2013

MALDIVES - Male’ immigration shelter opened as Maldives pressured over migrant rights.


http://minivannews.com/politics/male-immigration-shelter-opened-as-maldives-pressured-over-migrant-rights-53700



Maldives: Rape survivor found guilty of “fornication". URGENT ACTION.

UA: 55/13 Index: ASA 29/001/2013 Maldives Date: 28 February 2013
URGENT ACTION
RAPE SURVIVOR FOUND GUILTY OF “FORNICATION”
A 15-year-old survivor of rape is at risk of house arrest and flogging in the Maldives, where she was found guilty of “fornication” by a juvenile court, and sentenced to eight months’ house arrest and 100 lashes.
A 15-year-old survivor of rape has been found guilty of “fornication” or sex outside marriage by a juvenile court in the Maldives. She has been sentenced to eight months’ house arrest and 100 lashes. As per the law, the sentence of flogging is ordinarily carried out when she turns 18, but could be carried out earlier in exceptional circumstances.
The girl was first arrested after the body of a baby she had given birth to was found buried outside her house on Feydhoo Island in Maldives in June 2012. Authorities found that she had been raped by her stepfather, who has been charged with several offences, including the murder of the baby and the sexual abuse of a minor. Her mother has been charged with both concealing a crime, and murder. During their investigation, however, authorities came across evidence to support charges of “fornication” against the girl in a separate incident. The Prosecutor-General’s office pressed charges against her for “fornication” on 25 November 2012. She was found guilty and sentenced to flogging and house arrest on 25 February 2013. While she has a right to appeal, it is unclear whether she will exercise this option.
“Fornication” is not an offence in accordance with international human rights law and standards. Further, flogging is in violation of the absolute prohibition on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The existence of the offence of “fornication” and the punishment of flogging in Maldivian law are inconsistent with Maldives’ obligations under international human rights law. 

Please write immediately in English or your own language, urging the Maldivian authorities to:
Release the girl immediately and unconditionally, including ending the house arrest, and ensure that she is not flogged or otherwise punished;
Ensure that the judicial process is initiated in order to overturn the conviction for “fornication”;
Ensure that she has access to adequate and appropriate protective and support services;
End the practice of flogging as a form of punishment and act to amend Maldivian law to remove the provisions that allow flogging, as well as those that criminalise “fornication”.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 11 APRIL 2013 TO:
President Dr Mohamed Waheed
The President's Office
Boduthakurufaanu Magu,
Male' 20113
Republic of Maldives
Fax: (960) 332 5500
Email: http://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Index.aspx?lid=6 (via form)
Salutation: Dear President
And copies to:
Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Dr. Abdul Samad Abdullah
Block number 77,
Henveiru, Boduthakurufaanu Magu
Fax: (960) 3323841
Email: consular@foreign.gov.mv
Salutation: Dear Minister
Prosecutor General, Maldives
Ahmed Muizzu
Prosecutor General's Office,
Majeedhee Magu,
Male' 20040,
Republic of Maldives
Fax: (960) 3000644
Email: pgoffice@pgoffice.gov.mv
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.