Maldives: Reforms fall short in curbing threats to free speech

The Maldives authorities have not credibly addressed threats to free expression and other rights by religious extremist groups, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released on Thursday.

Despite progress in media freedom under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the government has neglected other essential reforms, leaving the justice system vulnerable to pressure from powerful interest groups, and groups that advocate violence against journalists and critics of the government.

The 56-page report, "'I Could Have Been Next': Stymied Reforms in the Maldives," finds that the Solih administration, more than halfway into its five-year term, has not fulfilled election promises to reform the criminal justice system to address threats to free expression.

According to the New York-based rights watchdog, the government has reduced its repression of free speech and the media, so reporters say they no longer fear state censorship or worry about facing criminal cases or fines for doing their jobs. Yet, the government has often relented to pressure from politicians and powerful religious groups, instead of upholding free speech and association.

"The Maldives government's failure to adequately investigate and prosecute targeted violence has exposed entrenched impunity and other weaknesses in the criminal justice system," said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at HRW. "The Maldives government and its donors should prioritize efforts to reform the judiciary, ensure accountability for serious abuses, and protect the rights of free speech and assembly."

The report is based on 26 interviews in the Maldives and among Maldivians living outside the country. Human Rights Watch concluded that Maldives' donors, including the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union, need to support credible steps toward strengthening independent institutions in the Maldives that can protect and promote human rights.

Despite some reform efforts, the Maldives Police Service has demonstrated serious gaps in its capacity to conduct credible criminal investigations or follow regulations regarding the use of force, according to the HRW.

The rights group said police corruption remains a hurdle to impartial investigations, with officers susceptible to political pressure.

"The Maldives has only recently emerged from decades of authoritarian rule, but to build a robust and lasting democracy, the Solih administration should focus on urgent justice system reforms," Gossman said. "Instead, the government seems to have succumbed to a policy of appeasing religious extremists who oppose basic freedoms."

( With inputs from ANI )