Former deputy minister under investigation over call to set fire to key state institutions

The police have launched an investigation over a threat made over social media calling for the torching of the President’s Office, the Supreme Court and the Parliament.

The suspect in the case is Hassan Zihan, who previously served as a deputy transport minister in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration.

A police spokesperson said on Tuesday that the agency was aware of a Facebook status published by one Hassan Zihan, and was looking into it.

The status in question appeared incite an arson attack on key state institutions.

“How come we don’t get to set our supreme court and presidents office and Majlis on fire. Come onnnnnn… it’ll be fun,” he wrote on Monday night.

The post was deleted within an hour.

Zihan, who holds an undergraduate degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the Naval Academy in the United States, had previously served in the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) as a naval architect. However, Zihan, then ranked First Lieutenant, was dismissed from the army in 2023, with those close to him describing his dismissal as political retaliation for criticizing the administration of then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

He was appointed as a deputy minister during President Muizzu’s administration, but was dismissed in 2024. He has since been highly vocal in his criticism of the incumbent administration.