Amnesty calls for the release of Khilath

Amnesty International, an international organisation working for human rights, has called for the release of Khilath Rasheed, who was detained for his involvement in the protest calling for religious freedom, held at artificial beach.

A document published on the website of Amnesty International yesterday, states that the Maldivian State should release Khilath Rasheed immediately, and also compensate him for the time he was held in custody.

Amnesty International says that about 30 people were involved in the protest calling for religious freedom in the country, and that Khilath was injured from stones which were thrown at them. He was treated at the hospital for his injuries.

The document also says that he was taken into custody several days after this incident, the reason being that he had been involved in an act conflicting with the Maldivian Law. Furthermore, Amnesty says that his detainment is in direct conflict with an agreement entitled “International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights”, which the Maldives has endorsed.

“Amnesty International is dismayed that instead of defending Khilath Rasheed, who has peacefully exercised his right to freedom of the expression, the government of Maldives has detained him,” reads the document.

The document published by Amnesty International also notes that the Maldivian Constitution does not allow Maldivians to practice any religion other than Islam.

Khilath Rasheed has for years publicly attacked Islam, and abused Muhammad the Prophet of Islam with hate speech and disparaging and historically unfounded accusation such as the claim that Prophet Muhammad was a pedophile. The Maldivian public or the Government has so far taken no action against the man and his continuous hate speech against Islam.