CP challenges comments made by opposition regarding police

Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Areef has challenged comments made by Maldives United Opposition that they will reinstate police officers who are fired for following unlawful orders when they come to power, saying that each and every officer had job security.

CP Areef challenged the comments during the ceremony held on Saturday night at Iskandhar Koshi to mark Memorial Day for police officers.

Areef questioned where the critics and people who care about the police were, when officers got killed and injured in the line of duty, leaving their families suffering.

He said that what is being said and the reality of the situation was very different, and said that police officers were working within the boundaries of law.

“These critics and people who claim to care; where are these people who say they will give back police officers their jobs. What you hear and what the actual reality is, is very different,” said Areef.

“Police are working within the boundaries of law. Each officer is confident regarding job security. Every police officer will always receive the honor and reward for performing their patriotic and legal duty. The entire police family is united in this.”

The statements addresses comments made by the opposition who say officers are being coerced into enforcing illegal orders from superiors, and that officers who are fired for noncompliance will be reinstated to their posts when the opposition comes into power.

Member of MUO, Deputy Leader of Adhaalath Party has said that it was the decision of the

MUO shadow cabinet to reinstate such officers to their posts.

MUO has submitted complaints against individual officers who they have accused of illegally hindering opposition political activities to Police Integrity Commission.

The opposition has said that it was unlawful for officers to enforce “unlawful” orders made by superiors, and that individual officers themselves would be held responsible for following such orders.