R. Atoll, Maldives – Police have released ten islanders who protested against rape in front of a police station.
The protestors were released upon review after their remand period by R. Ungoofaaru Magistrate Court. Of the ten protestors, nine were remanded for seven days while one for three days on 27 March 2021.
Police confirmed that on March 11th, the Police received a report that a young girl below the age of 18 years was raped by an individual on March 3rd in a island in the northern Maldives.
Police stated that as they currently have no evidence against any specific individual to establish them as suspects for the rape case and have made no arrests.
Due to lack of arrests by the police, protests took place in front of the Maduvvari Police Station, with the police had arresting 10 protestors after pepper spraying the crowd. The local islanders took to the street in protest the next day following this, holding signs against rape and asking for justice.
MP of Maduvvari Constituency Adam Shareef had called for the release of protestors and arrests of rapists. The Human Rights and Gender Committee of the Parliament has decided to question the Police and Gender Ministry regarding the school girl rape case.
