Male’, Maldives – Protestors took to the streets of Male’ on Monday evening following the sexual assault of a Kenyan woman aboard a safari which was docked in the lagoon of Hulhumale’ on Friday morning.
Police arrested two 39 year old males from the crime scene, however released both citing that there was no probable cause to keep the pair in custody.
Public outrage sparked following the incident which was later followed by news that one of the perpetrators was the husband of an MP, as well as a relative of the President.
The identities of the two arrested have not been disclosed by police, who maintain that it cannot be revealed during the course of the investigation, despite having done so in similar cases previously.
Social media flooded with #MeToo and #NoMeansNo hashtags, which soon took form of a physical protest which started in front of the Gender Ministry and moved toward the President’s Office. Protestors voiced out against rape and impunity as well as to make the relevant authorities more responsible.
Online footage on twitter by protestors and onlookers as well as local journalists shows police used pepper spray and force against the protestors. Local media Sun Online reported that two males are arrested from the protest, one being a 22 year old and the other 23.
Sun reported that the two were arrested for assault among other charges and said that they are investigating the matter now.
