Civil case filed against Mandhy over President’s son controversy

A Civil Court case has been filed against Mariyam ‘Mandhy’ Zubair, an activist from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), accusing her of creating a situation that endangered the life of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s son.

First Lady Sajidha Ahmed decided to sue Mandhy over remarks she made during an MDP rally last week, suggesting that President Muizzu decided to ban vaping in Maldives last year because his 16-year-old son got caught vaping

Her legal representative, former attorney general Aishath Azima Shakoor released a statement on Wednesday, in which she said Mandhy’s remarks referring to President Muizzu’s son, Umair Mohamed Muizzu, had created a situation that endangered him physically and mentally, while also creating a situation that is detrimental to his studies and future prospects.

She further said that the remarks have violated the protection and dignity guaranteed for children under the Maldivian Constitution, the Child Rights Protection Act and the international Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Apart from disclosing a case has been filed with the Civil Court, Azima did not provide any details as to the claims raised in the lawsuit.

Azima read a statement from Sajidha regarding the matter during a press conference on Saturday in which she denied allegations her son ever vaped or smoked in general.

Sajidha said these rumors were being spread by people who are against President Muizzu’s politics, but that things have escalated to the level that it is now endangering her son. She affirmed that none of her children have anything to do with President Muizzu or her political decisions.

Azima told reporters that Sajidha will be filing lawsuits against Mandhy, as well as MDP’s chairperson Fayyaz Ismail and the MDP itself.

Azima declined to go into the specifics of the shape the lawsuits will take, but said the legal team was analyzing more social media posts and videos in order to prepare court filings. She added that the claims would be disclosed during the trial stage.