Mandhy seeks court warrant authorizing police to photograph her body

Mariyam ‘Mandhy’ Zubair, a senior activist from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has asked the police for a warrant issued by the Criminal Court authorizing the law enforcement agency to photograph her body in a criminal investigation against her.

MDP activist Mariyam ‘Mandhy’ Zubair and national council member Ahmed ‘Maaz’ Saleem received police summons last weekend asking them to present themselves to the Sergeant Adam Haleem Criminal Investigation Building in Male’.

The police investigation against them stems from remarks Mandhy made during a MDP rally in Male’ back in March, implying that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu decided last year to ban vaping in the Maldives because one of his children got caught vaping.

Mandhy is accused of “violating the dignity of a child” with her remarks, while Maaz Saleem is accused of supporting her remarks, inciting more such remarks, and himself making remarks that violate the dignity of a child.

The case was filed with the police by the Children's Ombudsperson's Office.

On Friday, they both received summons, signed by Inspector of Police Shanaz Ahmed, telling them to present themselves to the police the next day. However, the summons were later cancelled, and they were told that they would be informed of a date to present themselves to the police at a later time.

According to the summons, copies of which Sun has obtained, they were required to present themselves “to take photos of the outside of the body except for the sexual organ and to take an audio sample under a warrant issued by the Criminal Court.”

Mandhy told Sun on Monday that she has repeatedly asked the police for a copy of the court warrant in question, ever since she received the summons. However, she has yet to receive it.

She said that she has the right to view the court warrant in question, and also has a fundamental right to appeal it.

During the March rally, Mandhy alleged that Preisdnet Muizzu made the decision to ban vaping “because one of Sajidha’s children got caught vaping”, referring to First Lady Sajdha Mohamed.

A day later, Sajidha said via a lawyer that the remarks refer to her teenage son, and that she plans on pursuing legal action.

Sajidha filed a lawsuit against Mandhy and MDP chairperson Fayyaz Ismail over the remarks, accusing them of endangering her son’s safety, causing him mental distress, and harming his studies and future prospects. She also lodged additional cases against them last week with the Family Court.

But the MDP claims Mandhy did not name a specific child and nor does her remarks violate the dignity of a child.

In the days after the rally, Mandhy was also brought in for questioning by the police for an investigation into possible violations of the Freedom of Assembly Act.

On March 17, Mandhy was attacked with engine oil by two individuals who followed her as she drove her motorcycle home on early March 17. The police arrested the driver on March 27, but has yet to arrest the person who threw oil.