The Muizzu government is facing renewed criticism over allegations that it used police resources to suppress the widely followed anonymous X account @HKurusee, after the platform confirmed the account’s suspension was based on a report from the Maldives Police Service.
A screenshot of the suspension notice, shared by the backup account @HKuruseeBackup — the only alternate profile endorsed by the original — stated the account was removed for violating X’s rules on promoting or representing violent extremist groups under its Violent and Hateful Entities Policy.
However, supporters of HKurusee and pro-transparency advocates rejected the justification, calling it a pretext to silence a key critic of the government. The account, known for publishing alleged corruption leaks and harsh critiques of senior officials, had amassed over 63,000 followers before its suspension.
The #BringBackHKurusee hashtag surged on Maldivian X for several days, remaining the country’s top trending topic and prompting a wider public debate about political censorship and abuse of state power.
In a detailed statement issued on 13 May via the backup account, the anonymous figure behind HKurusee confirmed that an appeal had been filed with X and announced a temporary leave. The statement denied any wrongdoing and criticised the Muizzu administration for what was described as a coordinated effort to stifle dissent.
“I genuinely do not know what I did wrong to warrant this level of hostility from Muizzu’s government other than consistently calling them out on their lies and failures,” the post read.
The statement also revealed internal discussions within the HK team about potentially revealing the identity of a serving cabinet minister, citing it as a “nuclear option” in response to mounting pressure. Although an internal vote and a public poll showed support for disclosure, HK said the team ultimately chose to preserve confidentiality — a core principle of the account’s identity.
“HK is trusted precisely because it has maintained confidentiality in a way that no individual or institution in Maldives has,” the statement said.
The backup account has gained over 12,000 followers in just a few days, signalling that public support for HKurusee remains strong despite the suspension. Supporters allege that the government acted against the account following its ongoing release of sensitive documents and reports implicating officials in alleged wrongdoing.
Neither the Maldives Police Service nor the President’s Office has issued a statement addressing the allegations. X has not publicly commented on the case.
The suspension marks the second time in five months that HKurusee has been taken offline, further intensifying scrutiny of how anonymous political commentary is treated in the Maldives.