E-Paper
Maldives files terror charges against 38 who disrupted India’s Yoga Day event
An official statement by Maldives government said the prosecutor general has filed charges against the 38 people for committing “acts of terrorism against the participants of the event and obstructing law enforcement officers”
NEW DELHI: Authorities in the Maldives have charged 38 people on various grounds, including terrorism, for storming and disrupting the international Yoga Day celebration organised by the Indian Cultural Centre in Male in June.
The prosecutor general of the Indian Ocean archipelago, which has close strategic ties with India, submitted the charges to the criminal court on October 2, according to an official statement. The charges carry prison terms ranging from one to 25 years.
Soon after the incident, authorities in the Maldives had pointed to the possible involvement of the opposition party headed by former president Abdulla Yameen. However, the formal charges filed by the prosecutor general didn’t specify if the 38 people belong to any political party.
On June 21, a mob stormed the Galolhu national stadium shortly after the beginning of the celebration organised by the youth and sports ministry of the Maldives and the Indian Cultural Centre, which is affiliated to the Indian high commission. The event was being attended by the then Indian envoy, Munu Mahawar, other ambassadors and diplomats and members of the public.
Members of the mob, carrying flags with verses from the Quran, scuffled with participants and vandalised property before they were dispersed. The event resumed soon after.
The official statement said the prosecutor general of the Maldives filed charges against the 38 people for committing “acts of terrorism against the participants of the event and obstructing law enforcement officers”. Eight people were charged under the anti-terrorism law for committing “an act of terrorism”, which has a possible penalty of 20 to 25 years in prison upon conviction.
Another two persons were charged for encouraging others to commit an act of terrorism, which has a possible penalty of 10 to 15 years in prison, while seven more were charged with aiding to commit an act of terrorism, which can be punished with 17 to 20 years in prison.
Others were charged for various offences, including committing assault with a dangerous weapon, possessing documents that insinuate support for a terrorist organisation, and obstructing law enforcement officers.
Maldives President Ibu Solih had quickly condemned the disruption of the celebration and said the incident was being treated as a matter of serious concern and that those responsible would be “swiftly brought before the law”.
The Maldives Police Service said at the time that evidence indicated the demonstrators were using items taken from the office of the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), the opposition party headed by former president Yameen which has been linked to a long-running “India Out” campaign that targeted Indian diplomats and interests.
The Maldives is one of the largest beneficiaries of India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy and New Delhi has invested billions of dollars in connectivity and development projects in the archipelago.
