Home Minister: No one can cross the line protecting nationalism and religion

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer has said that no one will be allowed to cross the line drawn by the government, for protecting nationalism and religion in the Maldives.

Speaking on Khabarutherein on DhiTV, Umar Naseer said that the government will stand firm, and will not allow religious freedom or same-sex marriage in the Maldives.

He said that a recent resolution against Maldives submitted to the European Union Parliament, received no support.

The fact that the resolution received only 47 votes in favour out of 750 and was thus rejected by the EU Parliament, Umar Naseer said, has shown the main opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), “what they can and cannot do”.

He further said that despite intimidation from MDP members prior to the Maldives’ review at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, the case of former President Mohamed Nasheed was raised by only four countries, out of the 106 included in the council.

He added that only one country called for his release.

Umar Naseer aimed heavy criticism at MDP, and said that while they were accusing the present government of brutality, the MDP government was the most brutal government the country ever saw.

He said that MDP’s brutality began already in 2007, when its activists carried out arson attacks on several locations and attacked police officers with hot water.