Activist Shiman’s phone seized for allegedly threatening President in social media post

The police on Wednesday night seized the phone of Aminath Shiman Ahmed, a young activist from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), over a comment she made on social media in September in which she allegedly suggested that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu should be killed.

The MDP Women’s Wing has issued a statement condemning the seizure of the 20-year-old’s phone, describing it as “an act of harassment.”

“We call for this unlawful court warrant to be cancelled, to stop the harassment of women and allow space for politics and freedom of expression,” reads the statement.

Photos of the court warrant shared by the MDP shows that it was issued on Monday.

The police asked for the warrant to obtain evidence on a comment that Shiman made on the social media platform X on September 20, in which she “implied that the President of the Republic of Maldives should be assassinated.”

The police submitted an intelligence report as evidence to obtain the warrant – which is valid from October 6 - November 5.

The investigation against Shiman is being carried out by the Serious and Organized Crime Investigation Department.

The latest case comes after the police on Tuesday seized the phone of another MDP activist, Fathimath Zahiyya (Zaya). A member of the MDP’s national council and the party’s president of North Hulhumale’ constituency, Zaya is under investigation over a Facebook post in which she allegedly threatened the police.