International Federation
for Human Rights

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Maldives.

Description of the situation:

According to the information received, on June 4, 2012, Mr. Rasheed was stabbed in the neck at around 8:15 p.m. close to his house in Male’. He was later brought to the ADK hospital to undergo emergency treatment.

The police subsequently cordoned off the area around the location of the attack and an investigation was opened. However, as of issuing this urgent appeal, no information could be obtained regarding the perpetrators and the motivation of the attack. On June 5, 2012 in the morning, Mr. Rasheed’s condition had reportedly stabilised, but was still critical. He was due to remain in intensive care for a couple of days.

Two blogs belonging to Mr. Rasheed were blocked in November 2011 by the Communications Authority of the Maldives (CAM) upon order of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, on the grounds that the sites contained “anti-Islamic” material. Mr. Rasheed claimed then he was being censored, in particular, because of his calls for more freedom of interpretation within the faith. He had also called to amend the clause in the constitution which requires all Maldivians to be Sunni Muslims only.

On December 10, 2011, Mr. Rasheed had already been attacked by a group of men while attending a protest calling for religious tolerance on the occasion of Human Rights Day. He had subsequently been arrested by police and questioned over his involvement in the protest gathering, before being jailed for over three weeks for “disrupting the religious unity of the Maldives”. His case was dismissed, but he was later told by the authorities that he had been detained for “his own safety”.

Actions requested:

Please write to the Maldivian authorities and ask them to:

i. Order an immediate, thorough and transparent investigation into the assault against Mr. Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed with a view to establishing the truth and to sanctioning all those responsible for this attack;

ii. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of all human rights defenders in the Maldives;

ii. Put an end to acts of harassment against all human rights defenders in the Maldives;

iii. Conform in any circumstances with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on December 9, 1998 by the United Nations General Assembly, and in particular:

– Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”,

– and Article 12.2 which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”.

iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by the Maldives.

Addresses:

· H.E. Dr Mohamed Waheed, President of the Republic of Maldives, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male’ 20113 , Republic of Maldives, Phone: (960) 332 3701 Fax: (960) 332 5500

· Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, Minister of Home Affairs, 10th Floor Velaanaage, Ameeru Ahmed Magu, Male’, Maldives, Phone: 3323826, 3337638 Fax: 3342064 Email: info@homeaffairs.gov.mv

· Uza Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed, Minister of Gender, Family and Human Rights, Ministry of Gender and Family, 2nd floor, Fen Building, Ameenee Magu, Malé, Maldives, Phone: 3317761, Fax: 3316237, info@mgf.gov.mv

· H.E. Ms Iruthisham Adam Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices at Geneva, Chemin Louis - Dunant 15B (Second Floor), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, Phone: 3317761, Fax: 3316237, info@mgf.gov.mv

· Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, Uthuru Vehi, 5th Floor, Keneree Magu, Male’, Republic of Maldives, info@hrcm.org.mv,Tel: +960 3003100, Fax: + 960 3338658

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of the Maldives in your respective countries.

***

Paris-Geneva, June 6, 2012

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

· Tel and fax FIDH: +33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18 / 01 43 55 18 80