Police cooperation with EC would have deprived people of their rights: PIC

The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) has said that the rights of a large group of Maldivians would have been lost if the police did not stop cooperating with Elections Commission (EC) on 19 October.

PIC said this in its report after its investigation into the case alleging that the police stopped cooperating with the Elections Commission, and obstructed the officials of the Elections Commission from taking election-related material out of the commission on election day.

PIC said that if the police had not stopped cooperating with the Elections Commission on 19 October, a large group of people would have been deprived of their right to vote in a fair election; and highlighted that the Police Act states that it is the responsibility of the police, when carrying out their duties, to respect and protect the fundamental rights of the people.

PIC said that the police were not exempted from following the Supreme Court ruling whereby it annulled the result of the first round of the presidential election, and ordered the Elections Commission and relevant government authorities to hold the first round again.

PIC stressed that everyone, including the police, government institutions and all citizens, must obey the orders of the Supreme Court.

PIC said that the police had informed the Elections Commission in a letter that it would not cooperate with efforts to hold the election in violation of the guideline issued by the Supreme Court; however, the police will give full cooperation if the Supreme Court orders to proceed with the election without fulfilling a requirement statement on the guideline.