Girl sentenced to lashes has post traumatic disorder: Dr Samad

Foreign Minister, medical doctor Abdul Samad Abdullah has said that the 15-year-old girl from Shaviyani Feydhoo who was recently convicted of fornication and sentenced to lashes, is a post traumatic disorder patient.

The girl had been raped by her stepfather and another man, but was convicted of fornication following a confession in court and sentenced to 100 lashes and eight months’ house arrest. The sentence has been criticised by the international community.

Dr Samad said on Raajje Miadhu program on TVM last night that she has all symptoms of post traumatic disorder as well as symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease.

“The report is a very detailed report by a psychologist. It clearly states that she suffers from post traumatic disorder. She also suffers from a sexually transmitted disease,” said Dr Samad.

He said that the girl ended up in this condition because she had been raped since she was twelve, which means that she had been abused on multiple occasions for three years.

“The girl was abused since she was 12 until she turned 15, so multiple times for three years. She was abused by her stepfather. She has said that her baby was murdered. You can imagine the mental status of a child in this situation. She suffers from this condition,” he said.

Dr Samad said that the international community is not fully informed of the reason behind the flogging sentence against her, and said that the flogging sentence was not given in relation to the abuse by her stepfather, but in relation to her confession of having had premarital relations with another man.

The foreign minister called on all political parties and citizens to unite on this issue, while the Maldives is being criticised by other countries. He said that failure to do so could facilitate an opportunity for groups that want to harm the country.