Amin Faisal, Shadow Defence Minister and the elected President of Male' Dhaairaa of the Maldivian Democratic Party is currently detained in the notorious Dhoonidhoo Island. He was taken into custody on the 15th of April 2007. He was among the people who had gathered outside the Aasahara Cemetary where the body of Hussein Salah was being kept. Hussain Salah was allegedly murdered by the Maldivian police service while in police custody.

Ameen Faisal’s lawyer, Mariya Ahmed Didi, claimed that it was “unacceptable” that he remains in detention while police “drag their feet over an investigation.” (Minivan News)

Mariya also said “there was no need to detain [Faisal] in the first place. The police could have conducted the investigation without holding him in custody.”

DENIAL OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION

SIGNED AND DISCARDED: The United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which was signed by the Maldivian government on the 19th of September 2006

Amin Faisal was held without access to legal representation for nearly a week before his lawyer was able to visit him. In fact, his lawyer was informed by the police on the 20th that she could visit him but when she arrived in Dhoonidhoo, the police on the island claimed that they knew nothing of the visit. She was therefore forced to return to Male’ without having met her client.

She has been able to see him later on.

CONCERN FOR HEALTH

Mr. Faisal is a known diabetic and is on medication for high blood pressure. He was brought to the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male’ on the 29th of April 2007. He was complaining of a pain in his shoulder and in his lower abdomen. It is not known what caused the pain.