Khilath released

Khilath Rasheed, who was arrested after calling for religious freedom in the Maldives, has been released.

A Police Media Official said today that Khilath was released last Friday, after obtaining the information necessary for investigation. He also said that the case will shortly be submitted to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

“Khilath was released because the investigation is completed, and because there is no point in holding him in custody,” Official said.

A small gathering of about twenty people at Artificial Beach on December 10, Human Rights day, calling for religious freedom in the country provoked a group of onlookers to throw stones at them.

Islamic Minister Dr Abdul Baaree, when summoned to the Parliament’s National Security Committee regarding this case, said that no legal steps can be taken against calling for religious freedom in the Maldives, as there is no penalty determined for this in Islam.

Khilath Rasheed has, for years, publicly molested Muhammad, the Noble Prophet of Islam, and spread hate-speech against Islam and Muslims, but the Maldivian Government or the people have never before taken any actions against him.