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August 08, 2024 – Maldives –
Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla—a fearless journalist with Minivan News known for his critical reporting on religious extremism and advocacy for democracy—was forcibly disappeared after receiving consistent threats from extremist groups in the Maldives. Multiple eyewitnesses saw him at the Hulhumalé ferry terminal, and CCTV footage confirmed his presence there before he vanished under suspicious circumstances. Since then, Rilwan’s fate has been shrouded in silence, with no trace of justice in sight.
Early legal action led to the arrest—but eventual release—of three suspects, with charges dropped due to what a court cited as gross negligence in the investigation. The family, along with journalists and civil society, rallied for answers. In September 2014, Rilwan’s family launched a petition of over 5,000 signatures urging government action.
In 2018, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih established the Presidential Commission on Deaths and Disappearances (DDCom) to examine cases like Rilwan’s. The commission concluded in 2022 that Rilwan had been killed—likely decapitated and drowned—with suspects allegedly fleeing to the Syrian conflict zone. However, the full report remains unpublished, and no one has faced formal accountability. In June 2024, newly elected President Muizzu dissolved the DDCom without releasing its findings or addressing its recommendations.
International watchdogs like the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), Human Rights Watch, and CIVICUS have repeatedly condemned the government’s failure to act, pressuring it to publish the DDCom report and impose travel bans or sanctions on suspects. They also call for prosecutions under fair-trial standards and clearance of political appointees connected to the case.
Reference –
Maldives: No justice for Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla after ten years – IFJ
