Nasheed: Some of MDN’s report content was ‘wrong’

Speaker of Parliament, former Maldivian leader Mohamed Nasheed says some of the content published by non-governmental organization Maldives Democracy Network (MDN) in its preliminary report on radicalization in Maldives was wrong.

MDN has come under heavy fire after the content of its report was judged to be blasphemous, and to mock the Islamic faith and Prophet Mohamed.

Those who have openly criticized MDN over its report includes prominent local scholars, politicians and lawmakers, in addition to a large number of private citizens.

Nasheed, who also serves as leader of ruling MDP, issued a statement via his official Twitter account this Sunday in which he said he had personally reviewed the report, and found some of the content to be wrong.

Alhugandu MDN ge report kiyaifin. Eygai nuragalhukoh kankan hurikan faahagakuran. E in eh kamakee, Maiy Allah ai Keerithi Rasoolaa aai beheygothun ekasheegen nuvaa basthakeh genevifavun. E ee muslimun koggen vaane kameh noon.

— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) October 6, 2019

“I have read MDN’s report. I note that some of the content is wrong. This includes inappropriate phrases used in association with the Almighty Allah and the Prophet. This isn’t something Muslims should do,” said Nasheed.

He also said that the subjects addressed in the report regarding Islamic practices were subjects of debate by religious scholars.

Islaam dheenugai kankan onna gothaa gulhey gothun lieyfaivaa vaahaka thakakee dheen dhenevadaigannavaa beyfulhun bahus kuravvaa nukuthaathah. Efadha kankamah aammu meehun vaahaka dhekkun rangalheh nuvaane.

— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) October 6, 2019

“Such subjects aren’t appropriate for discussion by members of the general public,” he added.

MDN is currently under investigation by the police after the case was reported to the agency by both the Islamic Ministry and a private citizen.

The police, in a statement last Saturday, said that the agency took cases involving promotion of islamophobia, and mockery of the Islamic faith and the Prophet as serious crimes. The agency provided assurance it would conduct a thorough investigation into the case.

Meanwhile, the MDN has issued a public apology and withdrawn its report to carry out revisions before its re-published.

MDN’s report, though it only recently gained such mass exposure, had been published in 2016. Several critics have questioned why the report had been overlooked by the previous administration.