MDP: Individual officers need to take responsibility for following unlawful orders

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said that individual police officers need to take responsibility for following unlawful orders issued by Maldives Police Service.

Speaking during a press conference held on Tuesday, MDP Spokesperson and North Mafannu MP Imthiyaaz Fahmy (Inthi) said that officers who issued unlawful orders and officers who followed unlawful orders needed to bear responsibility for their actions on an individual basis.

He said it was what was written in Maldivian Constitution and Police Act, and accused MPS of trying to mislead the public.

“It’s written in Article 245 of the Constitution that the person who gives an unlawful order and the person who follows an unlawful order are both committing offenses. Meaning that the person who gives the order can be prosecuted. And the person who follows the order can be prosecuted. How can police service be imprisoned? The verdict needs to be directed at someone,” said Inthi.

Deputy Leader of MDP, Mohamed Shifaz said during the press conference that he was taken to police headquarters for questioning on Monday night because he told media the police were corrupt.

Shifaz said that he had told the police in answer to a question they asked, that he knew of it because President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom himself said it.

“They questioned me regarding the comments I made on camera regarding existence of corrupt individuals within the police force, and the existence of political influence. I said I was happy they had brought it up, and that it was something Maldivian President said in his address to the nation – the existence of political influence within police force,” said Shifaz.

MDP Secretary-General Anas Abdul Sattar alleged that it was unconstitutional for police to take Shifaz to the police headquarters and keep him there for questioning for such a long time just to clear some information.

He said that police had not said he was being taken in for questioning regarding an offense he is suspected of having committed, nor in relation to any investigation they are doing.

He accused police of taking Shifaz in to prevent MDP from holding the anniversary rally they had planned for last Monday night.