Hulhumale’, Maldives – A couple has been arrested regarding a case of sexual assault on a 15 year old boy, reported to Maldives Police Service on the 3rd of this month.
The individuals accused of the sexual assault are local actors Mohamed Yunaan aged 29 and his wife Fathmath Rihula aged 30. According to the information given by the Maldives Police Service, both of them were arrested last night under a court order.
Yunaan and Rihula were summoned to the court where they both were ordered to be remanded in jail for 7 days. The case is being further investigated.
Earlier yesterday, several people protested in front of their residence, demanding the couple to be arrested and justice be given to the 15-year old.
The number of sexual abuse against minors is rising day to day with the number of cases being reported to authorities also increasing. In August alone 36 cases have been filed regarding sexual abuse against children.
With this, survivor support movements have surfaced, including protests held in Male’ and other parts of the Maldives calling for sexual abuse and sexual violence to be met with harsher punishments, after the ‘Safari Rape’ case. The government officially delineated rape and declared sexual abuse of children as serious criminal offenses on 23rd September 2020, with the ratification of the Criminal Procedure Act.
