No attempts made to assassinate Nasheed: HRCM report
The report compiled by the HRCM into the alleged human rights violations on February 6-7 have been forwarded to the relevant authorities. However, the report is yet to be released to the media. During a press conference held by the pro-government Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the party's interim Vice President Umar Naseer had shared some of the main points highlighted in the report. He had also shared the four page conclusion of the report with the media yesterday. The conclusion detailed that no attempts to assassinate the former President had been made during his time inside the army barracks on the morning of the day of his controversial resignation. HRCM had also concluded that the order by Nasheed to withdraw the security forces maintaining security at the simultaneous protest by the December 23 Coalition and the then ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had been unlawful. It further stressed that the order had impeded the security forces from executing their duty to maintain law and order. In addition, the order to the heads of the security forces had undermined the command of the respective institutions which had resulted in the storming of the MDP camp by some mutinous Police officers. According to the report, the order by Nasheed to arrest the protesting Police officers at the Republic Square on the morning of February 7 in violation of the chain of command had caused major unrest which had resulted in injuries to numerous Police, military officers and members of the Public in addition to the destruction of public and private property. The report further detailed that some Police officers along with members of the public had attacked the army barracks and assaulted some top officials of the Police. It also highlighted that some weapons used by the Police had been issued to members of the public during the mayhem. HRCM probe also indicated that Police, military and public had stormed the State television station MNBC One and the MDP camp and destroyed property and equipment. Speaking to the media, Umar revealed that the present Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim had accompanied Nasheed to the lift at the President's Office on the day of his resignation. He pointed out that according to the report Nasheed had gone up in the lift with one of his executives. In addition, though the cabinet meeting just prior to Nasheed's resignation had been held at a different conference room, the atmosphere inside the President's Office had been relatively calm and peaceful, Umar quoted from the HRCM report. Umar further detailed that the report points out that Nasheed had been protected by armed members of the Special Protection Group during his time inside the army barracks who had been loyal to the then President. Hence, the report stated that Nasheed was not in any danger while inside the barracks, Umar said. Interim VP of PPM stated that the Nazim and the present Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz had entered the army barracks upon request by the then Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu. At the time Nasheed had been resting on a sofa in the adjacent room according to the report, Umar said. He also said that a MDP MP and some prominent members of Nasheed's government had commanded and tried to shove military officers out of the army barracks.In addition, Nasheed had used obscene lauguage to address military officers and had even slapped the behind of an army captain while inside the army barracks. According to the report, military had first used tear gas and fired rubber bullets at the protesting Police officers through the windows of the barracks. Umar further thanked the HRCM for issuing an honest report at this critical juncture, while stressing that the report showed that a coup had not toppled Nasheed's government. He expressed confidence that the report of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) set up to probe the circumstances the surrounding the transfer of power would be in a similar sense. It has been found that HRCM had questioned various persons of relevance to the incident, while making recommendations of steps to be taken. HRCM had also compiled and publicized a report into the events of the day following Nasheed's resignation.
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