Home Minister vows to hold police accountable for misconduct

Home Minister Imran Abdulla has promised to hold the police accountable for misconduct, a day after an officer from the Special Operations Unit was caught on camera shoving reporters to the ground.

In a tweet on Friday, Imran said that both soldiers and police officers who engage in acts of misconduct will be investigated and taken necessary action against.

He also added that he found attempts to slander the reputation of the police and the military “unacceptable.”

ސިފައިންގެ ބޭކަލަކަށް ނުވަތަ ފުލުހުންގެ އޮފިސަރަކަށް ގޯސްކޮށް ކަމެއް ކުރެވިއްޖެ ނަމަ އެކަން ބަލާ އަޅަންޖެހޭ ފިޔަވަޅު އެޅޭނެ.

ނަމަވެސް ސިފައިންނާއި ފުލުހުންގެ އަގުވައްޓާލުމަށް ކުރެވޭ މަސްކަތަކީ ބަލައިގަނެވޭނެ ކަމެއް ނޫން.

— Imran Abdulla (@ShimranAb) July 21, 2023

Imran’s comments had come after a police officer shoved a reporter who was covering the opposition PPM-PNC coalition’s sit-in at the Republic Square on Thursday, causing him and two other reporters to fall down on the ground.

Videos of the incident went viral, sparking immediate public backlash against the police.

Shortly after the incident, the Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed confirmed one of the police officers involved in breaking up the gathering had been suspended from frontline duties pending an internal investigation.

The police made multiple arrests in the incident, including of four MPs from the opposition coalition; Maduvvari MP Adam Shareef Umar, Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam, Maavah MP Mohamed Saeed, and Mahibadhoo MP Ahmed Toriq.

The police also detained Male’ City councilors Ibrahim Shujau and Ahmed Aifan, along with other members of the coalition.

According to police, they were arrested for staging a protest in a restricted zone, for obstructing the police from performing their duty, and for failure to comply with orders from the police.

The have since been released.