Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla has stated he will not facilitate an unlawful release of an inmate, despite pressure from the opposition.
The home minister made the remarks while speaking at the Parliament of the Maldives in response to the no-confidence motion launched against him by parliamentarians from the opposition coalition. The no-confidence motion was launched following insensitive comments made by the minister regarding a rape case under investigation as well as comments made regarding the disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla.
Speaking at the Parliament, Home Minister Imran said the no-confidence motion is an attempt to weaken the government and destabilise the political scene of the country. The minister noted the opposition has been trying to pressure him into facilitating the release of former President Abdulla Yameen who has been sentenced to 5 years in prison after being convicted of money laundering. However, he said he will not be affected by this pressure, adding he will not facilitate the release of an inmate unlawfully.
Home Minister Imran was heavily criticised for comments made during a radio programme regarding the rape of a Kenyan woman inside a safari near Hulhumale’. The minister had described the case as petty and trivial, remarking it is not as serious as it was initially claimed to be. He said the case cannot even be classified as a rape and the incident was so trivial it could happen anywhere.
Responding to criticism on his comments, Minister Imran said his words were put out of context by certain people with a political agenda. The minister said he does not consider rape and sexual assault as trivial crimes, adding anybody who commits such a crime must be punished heavily. He apologised to all who were offended by his remarks.
Minister Imran had also come under fire after he told the radio programme that the documents he held during the 2015 May Day Protests, which he claimed was evidence that former President Yameen was involved in the disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan, was not real. In response to the criticism, Imran said he had meant that the documents were copies of the original, and that all documents had been seized by the police upon the orders of former President Yameen’s government.
The home minister added the May Day Protests were the largest protests ever held in the Maldives, which showcased the public’s discontent with former President Yameen and his government. He said the attacks on him would not change the reality that the public had completely lost faith in the previous government.
The no-confidence motion against Home Minister Imran was signed by 11 parliamentarians, surpassing the minimum of 10 signatures needed to launch a no-confidence motion against a minister. The motion was placed on the parliament’s agenda on November 23.