Dhunya makes first appeal for father Maumoon’s release

Dhunya Maumoon has made an appeal to authorities to release her father, former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, for the first time since his arrest on major charges including attempt to stage a coup.

Maumoon was arrested from his residence within hours after a State of Emergency was declared in the country on February 5.

He was first taken to Dhoonidhoo Custodial, but was transferred to Maafushi Prison after two days.

Dhunya, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and current State Minister for Health at President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration, had not made an outright appeal for her father’s release nearly one week into his arrest. She has, however, expressed concern over Maumoon’s situation and tried to portray him in a more human light.

Dhunya has been criticized for remaining in service of President Yameen’s administration despite her father, her brother-in-law Mohamed Nadheem, and her brother – Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon being arrested by the authorities.

Dhunya appealed to the authorities to release Maumoon and allow him proper access to his family, attorneys and health care in a tweet this Monday morning.

In her tweet, she called Maumoon her father and the “father of the nation”.

She tagged the Secretary-General of UN Antonio Guterres, Prime Minister of UK Theresa May, US President Donald Trump, Indian PM Narendra Modi, and leading human rights champions in her tweet.

I call upon the authorities to release & bring my father, HE @maumoonagayoom, Father of the Nation, home. I urge them to ensure proper access to his family, lawyers & medical care! @antonioguterres @PScotlandCSG @raad_zeid @theresa_may @realDonaldTrump @narendramodi @FedericaMog pic.twitter.com/FICF4ZSuax

— Dunya Maumoon (@dunyamaumoon) February 12, 2018

Maumoon is suspected of bribing parliamentarians, attempting to illegally overthrow the legitimate government of the country, influencing the work of judges, and bribing judges with money to influence them to issue specific court orders.