Maldives prosecutor general stabbed in Male, was appointed by previous pro-India govt

Hussain Shameem has sustained injuries to his arm but is stable, says his office.

Maldives Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem | File Photo | Reuters

New Delhi: Maldivian Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem, who was appointed by the previous pro-India government, was stabbed by “two bike-borne individuals” Wednesday and sustained injuries to his arm

His office confirmed to ThePrint that Shameem was in a “stable condition” after being treated at the ADK Hospital in the capital, Malé.

While a police investigation is underway, it is unclear whether the incident was linked to the ongoing political churn in Maldives, amid growing tensions over the Opposition’s efforts to impeach Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu.

On Wednesday, local media quoted the police as saying that preliminary findings had established the prosecutor general “was not attacked with a sharp-edged weapon”.

In December 2019, former Maldives President Ibrahim Solih appointed Shameem prosecutor general of Maldives. Shameem has previously defended high-profile individuals, including former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom and his son, Faris Maumoon.

In a statement issued on the attack on the prosecutor general, opposition party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) claimed the law and order situation in the country has worsened due to the Muizzu government’s “protection” to criminal groups.

‘Happened in broad daylight’

Speaking to ThePrint, Ahmed Shaffeu, spokesperson of the Prosecutor General’s Office, said: “There was more than one perpetrator. This incident happened in broad daylight.”

In light of the recent events, the political landscape in the Maldives is becoming increasingly complex, with rising tensions that could lead to significant changes. The situation is reminiscent of the dangerous waters the Maldives has navigated in the past, particularly concerning its relationships with external powers.

Asked if this had any connection with the ongoing political tension between the Muizzu government and opposition parties, the spokesperson said: “I cannot confirm if this is a separate incident or related to recent developments. A prosecutor general is always exposed given they regularly handle high-profile cases.”

A day ago, the Maldives attorney general’s office had filed a case in the Supreme Court to stop an impeachment motion against Muizzu.

This comes after the opposition alliance, led by the MDP and The Democrats, issued a constitutional amendment to impeachment rules.

The MDP said earlier this week that it had collected enough signatures for an impeachment motion, but were not yet submitted.

In Maldives, a sitting president can be removed by a two-thirds vote in parliament.

While Muizzu won the presidential elections last year, the opposition alliance holds a majority in parliament (Majlis). On 28 January, clashes broke out in the house over differences on the approval of four members to Muizzu’s cabinet.

(Edited by Tikli Basu)