The
Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has alleged that the
police are attempting to intimidate commission staff members following
the start of its investigations into what they maintain is police
obstruction of the October 19 presidential election.
“The
commission believes that what we are facing now is serious,
unprecedented and unjustifiable intimidation from the police. We will
continue the investigation, while also ensuring that we continue
protecting every one of our team members,” HRCM member Jeehan Mahmoodh
has told Minivan News.
Jeehan stated that, after criticising the
police for acting outside of their mandate when obstructing the
Elections Commissions (EC) efforts to conduct the presidential election
on October 19, they have been facing what the commission believes to be
attempts by the police to intimidate its staff.
Jeehan said that
the police had requested the HRCM provide “complete details” of the
staff members who witnessed the police’s actions outside of the EC on
the morning of October 19.
“In the history of HRCM, we have never
before had such a request, where details of individual staff are asked
for in relation to an investigation. This just cannot be done,” Jeehan
said.
“We responded, invoking Article 27 of the HRCM Act and
informed the police that the commission will not compromise the safety
of any of our staff members. We also explained that as this is an
ongoing investigation we cannot compromise it by providing detailed
information regarding the matter,” she continued.
Article 27 of
the HRCM Act has two parts, with part (a) stating that, “No criminal or
civil suit shall be filed against the President or Vice- President or a
member of the Commission in relation to committing or omitting an act in
good faith whilst undertaking responsibilities of the commission or
exercising the powers of the Commission or the powers conferred to the
Commission by a law”.
Part (b) of the same article says “The
Commission can only be questioned or a suit can be filed against the
Commission in court regarding a component in a report published by the
Commission following an inquiry, should sufficient evidence be available
to prove the component is false”.
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