President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has condemned the release of individuals arrested and convicted of child sexual abuse, deeming it entirely unacceptable.
In a post on social media, President Dr. Muizzu emphasised the need for the government to swiftly appeal such decisions, underscoring the gravity of the matter. He called upon collective efforts to eradicate the presence of such reprehensible elements from society. He also said that this call to action follows the recent release of a male, who was arrested last year for allegedly sexually assaulting his granddaughter on an island in the Maldives.
The Maldives is witnessing an increase in cases of child sexual abuse, even within familial settings. Foreign monitors had flagged the disturbing trend of child pornography downloads in the country, as highlighted in the latest police press conference.
The Maldives Police Service (MPS) disclosed that following an investigation into the initial case, a 32-year-old individual was forwarded to the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) last October for prosecution, alongside an advisory agreement. MPS is currently probing another instance of child pornography downloads, involving images and videos of children aged 2-18 found on electronic devices. Collaborative efforts between MPS and PGO have led to the drafting of legislation aimed at enhancing the investigation process for cases of child exploitation, now in its finalisation stage.