Opposition leader and MDP chairperson Fayyaz Ismail on Thursday condemned the government’s decision to press criminal charges against two youth protest leaders, calling it a “pathetic attempt” to silence public outrage over the case of Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Fayyaz said:
“Strongly condemn the decision to press criminal charges on @MahzoomMajidh and @dh0nkeyo. It is preposterous at best that these youngsters are unjustly thrown into the criminal justice system simply for exercising their freedom of expression and right to protest. Unfortunate to witness the recurrence of the politically motivated sham trials. This is a pathetic attempt by the government to muzzle the expression of discontent by the youth.”
His remarks follow formal charges filed against Abdulla Mahzoom Majid and Aishath Shiman in connection with a protest held in May demanding justice for 21-year-old Yumnu, who was seriously injured after falling from the ninth floor of a residential building in Malé.
Mahzoom has been charged with assaulting or injuring a police officer, while Shiman faces charges of intentionally obstructing a law enforcement officer.
According to court documents, Mahzoom faces a basic sentence of one year, seven months and six days in prison, with a maximum of up to four years. Shiman faces a basic sentence of four months and 24 days, and up to one year in prison if convicted.
Police said the protest was dispersed due to disruptions caused to nearby businesses and students sitting A-level examinations. However, eyewitnesses and rights advocates say the demonstration was peaceful and non-disruptive, and that both protest leaders were subjected to excessive force during their arrest, sustaining injuries while in custody.
Protests erupted in the capital Malé after law enforcement authorities appeared to have made conflicting statements about the circumstances surrounding Yumnu’s fall, which followed a party reportedly attended by relatives of senior government officials. Legal experts, youth activists, and civil society organisations called for accountability and transparency in response to the incident.
The charges against the protest leaders have been widely criticised as politically motivated and disproportionate. Some activists say the government’s response signals a shrinking space for free speech and peaceful protest.