Police arrest man who urinated inside Male’ mosques

Police have arrested a man who urinated inside the Masjid al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al- Auzam (Islamic Center) in Male’ City during Magrib prayer last Sunday.

The man in question had previously urinated in front of the President’s Office and the Friday Mosque in the Maldivian capital.

Police have stated that the man suffers from a disability.

Home Minister Imran Abdulla, who attended the parliamentary sitting on Monday morning to answer questions by parliamentarians, was asked by Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed (Mosta) whether all persons who mock the religion of Islam are treated as disabled individuals.

Imran responded that the man in question has been taken into police custody.

“The person involved in last night’s incident has been taken into custody of the police. The case is under investigation,” he said.

Several incidents involving contempt of mosques have been reported to the police this year. This includes an incident in which a man took off his clothes and entered the Islamic Center back in January. Police had stated that the man suffered from a mental disability.

Male' City had also faced a rise in drug abuse inside mosques during a partial lockdown back in June.