Maldivian Prosecutor General Shameem 'brutally' attacked in Male; hospitalised

Maldivian Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem was brutally attacked on the street with a sharp object in broad daylight, reported Maldivian media Mihaaru. Shameem was appointed by the previous Ibrahim Mohamed Solih-led Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government. Incidentally, MDP recently initiated impeachment proceedings against the current President Mohamed Muizzu. According to a statement from a prosecutor’s office official Shameem was hospitalised and currently under treatment at the ADK Hospital.

I condemn the violent assault on Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem this morning. I wish PG Shameem a speedy recovery.

Politically motivated acts of violence have no place in a democratic society and I call on the government to be swift in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) January 31, 2024

The police said Shameem was reportedly attacked this morning. It is believed that the attack was not carried out with a sharp object. “Prosecutor Hussain Shamim has been attacked on the streets of the city. He is being treated at ADK. The attack was not carried out with a sharp object,” police said in a statement. This comes amid growing incidents of violence in the country. The incident happened days after clashes broke out in Maldives’ Parliament on Sunday between pro-government MPs and opposition lawmakers over differences over the approval of four members of pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet. The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) decided to withhold parliamentary approval for four members of President Muizzu’s cabinet ahead of the voting on the cabinet. Subsequently, pro-government MPs initiated a protest, obstructing the parliamentary sitting from proceeding, according to local media reports. Soon after taking oath as the President of Maldives on November 17 last year, Muizzu, who is regarded as a pro-China leader, formally requested India to withdraw its military personnel from his country, saying the Maldivian people have given him a “strong mandate” to make this request to New Delhi. With inputs from agencies.