THIS IS WHAT I

WANTED TO
TELL YOU

ADDkLSSING 1nL LLGAC CI 1Ck1UkL AND
ILL-1kLA1MLN1 IN 1nL MALDIVLS

Iune 2012


1Ck1UkL VIC1IMS' ASSCCIA1ICN MALDIVLS
P.Caadhoo, ApL 38
8odu 1hakurufaanu Magu
Male, 8epubllc of Maldlves
+9603300400, 9603300441, +9607797363 (m)
Lvamaldlves[gmall.com

kLDkLSS
87 vauxhall Walk
London, SL11 3P!
unlLed klngdom
+44 20 7793 1777
www.redress.org





i

1ab|e of Contents

I. Lxecut|ve Summary..................................................................................................................1
II. Introduct|on............................................................................................................................4
III. 8ackground and context.........................................................................................................S
IV. torture and |||-treatment (1978-2008) ..................................................................................11
a. Cvervlew.............................................................................................................................11
b. vlcLlms of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL ...................................................................................12
c. Alleged perpeLraLors ...........................................................................................................13
d. ConLexL of LorLure...............................................................................................................13
e. 1ypes of LorLure reporLed ...................................................................................................16
f. ueaLhs ln cusLody ................................................................................................................23
g. 8easons for LorLure .............................................................................................................26
h. Consequences for vlcLlms ...................................................................................................30
V. 1he Ma|d|ves' ob||gat|ons under |nternat|ona| |aw................................................................34
a. 1orLure and lll-LreaLmenL as a serlous vlolaLlon of lnLernaLlonal law.................................34
b. 8esponses requlred by lnLernaLlonal law ...........................................................................36
VI. Ia||ed |nst|tut|ona| responses to torture |n the Ma|d|ves......................................................40
a. ComplalnLs made prlor Lo 2004 ..........................................................................................40
b. 8esponses slnce 2004 .........................................................................................................41
c. Concluslon...........................................................................................................................48
VII. 1he need for [ust|ce.............................................................................................................49
VIII. Conc|us|on & recommendat|ons..........................................................................................S3


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1he 1orture V|ct|ms Assoc|at|on of the Ma|d|ves ls a naLlonal non-governmenLal
organlzaLlon (nCC) whlch envlslons Lhe Maldlves ln whlch no one ls sub[ecLed Lo
LorLure or oLher cruel, lnhuman or degradlng LreaLmenL or punlshmenL. lLs mandaLe
lncludes sLrengLhenlng Lhe ongolng efforLs Lo prevenL and eradlcaLe LorLure, or
oLher cruel, lnhuman or degradlng LreaLmenL or punlshmenL ln Lhe Maldlves,
worklng Lowards esLabllshlng Maldlves socleLy Lo be ruled by [usLlce and falrness,
malnLalnlng a naLlonal reglsLry of vlcLlms of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL, asslsLlng
vlcLlms of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL and advocaLlng for Lhelr rlghLs, falrness, and
[usLlce.

kLDkLSS ls a non-governmenLal lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs organlsaLlon based ln
Lhe unlLed klngdom wlLh a mandaLe Lo asslsL LorLure survlvors worldwlde Lo seek
[usLlce and oLher forms of reparaLlon. Cver Lhe pasL 20 years, lL has accumulaLed
wlde experLlse on Lhe rlghLs of vlcLlms of LorLure Lo galn boLh access Lo Lhe courLs
and redress for Lhelr sufferlng, and has advocaLed on behalf of vlcLlms from dlfferenL
reglons LhroughouL Lhe world. lL fulflls lLs mandaLe Lhrough casework, promoLlng
lnLernaLlonal sLandards and lnsLlLuLlons, lnfluenclng naLlonal sLandards and pracLlce,
and worklng ln posL-confllcL seLLlngs Lo
promoLe naLlonal laws and lnsLlLuLlons LhaL
reflecL LorLure survlvors' rlghLs ln pracLlce.

3





"#$%! $%! &#'(! )! &'*(+,! (-! (+..! /-01!
"#'(!$%!&#'(!)!#'2+!(-!%'/1!!)!#'2+!*-!
34-5.+6%! $7! /-0! 0%+! (#+%+! %(-4$+%! -7!
6$*+!'*/&#+4+1!!!)7!(#+/!'*,!$7!)!8+(!
%-6+!90%($:+;!(#'(!&-0.,!5+!8--,1!
"#$%&&'()*''
1

I. LkLCU1IVL SUMMAk
1he Maldlves ls a small counLry wlLh a long hlsLory of LorLure. 8uled for more Lhan 40 years
under an auLhorlLarlan reglme, lL ls now recognlsed LhaL durlng LhaL Llme LorLure and lll-
LreaLmenL by Lhe securlLy servlces was wldespread and sysLemaLlc.
Slnce beglnnlng lLs LranslLlon Lo democracy ln Lhe pasL decade, sLeps have been Laken Lo puL a
halL Lo Lhe paLLerns and pracLlces LhaL allowed LorLure Lo be used - sLeps LhaL appear Lo have
had a slgnlflcanL lmpacL ln reduclng Lhe reporLed prevalence of LorLure. Powever, when lL
comes Lo fulfllllng lLs obllgaLlons Lo hold perpeLraLors accounLable and provlde [usLlce and
reparaLlons Lo vlcLlms, Lhe CovernmenL of Lhe Maldlves has noL Laken any effecLlve measures
Lo address Lhe legacy of LorLure.
1here are many LorLure survlvors ln Lhe Maldlves, buL unLll now lL has been dlfflculL for Lhelr
volces Lo be heard. ln an efforL Lo begln Lo redress LhaL, Lhe 1orLure vlcLlms AssoclaLlon of Lhe
Maldlves (1vA") began a pro[ecL documenLlng Lhelr LesLlmonles LhroughouL Lhe counLry. 1hls
reporL comes ouL of LhaL process.
1he reporL glves an overvlew of Lhe paLLerns of LorLure durlng Lhe perlod 1978-2008 shown ln
24 of Lhe LesLlmonles recorded. AlLhough a small sample, Lhey recall Lhe bruLal reallLy of Lhe
use of arblLrary arresL, LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL agalnsL a wlde range of people - young and
old, male and female, pollLlcal and non-pollLlcal.
Many of Lhose lnLervlewed reporLed severe and repeaLed vlolence agalnsL, and abuse of, Lhose
ln sLaLe cusLody. lorms of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL lncluded Lhe use of suspenslon, lengLhy use
of sLocks, belng beaLen wlLh flsLs and bars, klcked, bllndfolded, handcuffed, Lhe dlslocaLlon of
[olnLs and breaklng of bones, belng forced Lo roll and squaL on sharp coral, belng drowned or
forced lnLo Lhe sea, belng puL ln a waLer Lank, belng burned, havlng brlghL llghLs shone ln eyes,
belng lefL ouLslde for days whlle Lled or handcuffed Lo a Lree, and belng covered ln sugar waLer
or leaves Lo aLLracL anLs and goaLs, and ln one case belng Lled Lo a crocodlle's cage. Sexual
assaulL and humlllaLlon was also rouLlnely used. Many of Lhe LesLlmonles suggesL LhaL Lhe only
llmlL Lo Lhe LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL lmposed was Lhe lmaglnaLlon of Lhose whose conLrol Lhey
were under.
1he LesLlmonles reveal Lhe use of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL ln a sysLemaLlc and offlclally-
sancLloned way. 1orLure and lll-LreaLmenL were reporLed aL Lhe Llme of arresL, aL lnlLlal
quesLlonlng, and pre-Lrlal ln an aLLempL Lo galn a confesslon. lurLhermore, a sLrlklng feaLure of
many of Lhe LesLlmonles was Lhe conLlnued use of LorLure as lndlvldual or collecLlve
punlshmenL meLed ouL by securlLy servlces offlcers on prlsoners over Lhe course of Lhelr
senLence.
1he lll-LreaLmenL and LorLure lnfllcLed, and long perlods of arblLrary deLenLlon, has had
slgnlflcanL lmpacLs on many of Lhe survlvors lnLervlewed. 1hese lnclude chronlc physlcal
ln[urles, resulLlng ln some cases ln an lnablllLy Lo work, and psychologlcal problems. lor Lhose
who were arresLed and deLalned aL a young age, Lhe Llme spenL ln prlson or Lhe sLlgma
aLLached Lo havlng been arresLed and deLalned meanL LhaL Lhey were unable Lo compleLe Lhelr
educaLlon. 1he deLenLlon and lll-LreaLmenL had furLher lmpacLs on famlly members - boLh
durlng Lhe perlod of deLenLlon, when Lhey were lefL wlLhouL supporL, and ln coplng wlLh Lhe
ln[urles suffered by Lhelr relaLlves on Lhelr release.

Cne Lhlng ls clear - desplLe many aLLempLlng Lo pursue complalnLs abouL whaL Lhey have
endured, noL one of Lhe lndlvlduals lnLervlewed has had any form of [usLlce for Lhe LorLure

2


lnfllcLed on Lhem - no proper lnvesLlgaLlon lnLo Lhelr case, no resoluLlon of Lhelr legal clalm, no
person prosecuLed or punlshed and no reparaLlon. lnsLlLuLlonal responses from Lhe CourLs,
Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of Lhe Maldlves, and speclallsed bodles and lnqulrles have been
paLchy, weak and enLlrely lneffecLlve, and unsurprlslngly many survlvors have llLLle falLh ln Lhe
processes.

lL ls Llme for Lhe Maldlves Lo make a concerLed efforL Lo address Lhe legacy of LorLure. 1he
Maldlves has obllgaLlons under lnLernaLlonal law Lo respond Lo whaL has happened, and Lhere
are lnLernaLlonal sLandards Lo help lL Lo do so. 1he reporL examlnes Lhese obllgaLlons - and ln
parLlcular Lhe requlremenLs LhaL lL lnvesLlgaLe Lhese allegaLlons, address lmpunlLy, provlde
[usLlce and reparaLlon Lo vlcLlms and Lake sLeps Lo acknowledge and undersLand whaL occurred
so LhaL lL does noL happen agaln.

vlcLlms' volces musL lnform Lhe process of respondlng Lo Lhe hlsLory of LorLure and lll-
LreaLmenL ln Lhe counLry. nearly all of Lhose lnLervlewed spoke of wanLlng Lo see a serles of
sLeps Lo be Laken Lo address whaL had happened Lo Lhem as ls evldenL from Lhelr vlews of
whaL [usLlce requlres.

1he 1vA and 8Lu8LSS make Lhe followlng recommendaLlons wlLh a vlew Lo meeLlng boLh Lhe
challenges ralsed by Lhe legacy of LorLure and Lhe need for [usLlce for Lhe many vlcLlms:

!"#$%&#'"(&)*+&*$#

lnlLlaLe a naLlonal consulLaLlon wlLh a deflned Llmellne on addresslng pasL vlolaLlons ln llne
wlLh Lhe Maldlves' lnLernaLlonal obllgaLlons and consLlLuLlonal rlghLs, lncludlng
accounLablllLy of Lhe perpeLraLors, acknowledgmenL, LruLh-Lelllng mechanlsms, reparaLlon
for vlcLlms and leglslaLlve and lnsLlLuLlonal reforms almed aL prevenLlng Lhe recurrence of
LorLure. Survlvors' vlews should be fully consulLed and consldered ln developlng
parLlclpaLory mechanlsms. Clven hlsLorlc and currenL pollLlcal polarlsaLlon, conslderaLlon
should be glven Lo uslng lndlvlduals from ouLslde Lhe Maldlves as lnvesLlgaLors and
declslon makers ln any such process.

AL Lhe same Llme, ensure LhaL credlble allegaLlons of more recenL vlolaLlons of human rlghLs
are prompLly, effecLlvely and lmparLlally lnvesLlgaLed, LhaL Lhose responslble for
wrongdolng are broughL Lo accounL, and LhaL vlcLlms are provlded wlLh reparaLlon.

Lnsure LhaL lnsLlLuLlons, lncludlng Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of Lhe Maldlves, Lhe pollce
and Lhe courLs have sufflclenL lndependence and resources Lo effecLlvely respond Lo
allegaLlons of LorLure and lmplemenL Lhe prohlblLlon of LorLure ln llne wlLh Lhelr
responslblllLles and Lhelr mandaLes.

As an lnLerlm measure, provlde accesslble rehablllLaLlon servlces for vlcLlms who have ralsed
credlble allegaLlons of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL wlLhln Lhe Maldlves.

!"#,"-.$./0-#,0)$.&1##

lnlLlaLe dlalogue aL Lhe grassrooLs and parLy levels on Lhe lmporLance of addresslng Lhe
legacy of LorLure, lncludlng speclflc allegaLlons ralsed by vlcLlms, and mechanlsms by whlch
Lo do so.

3

lnclude addresslng Lhe rlghLs of vlcLlms of serlous human rlghLs vlolaLlons wlLhln parLy
plaLforms wlLh a vlew Lo esLabllshlng credlble mechanlsms Lo respond effecLlvely Lo
allegaLlons of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL.

!"#$%&#23+0*#4.'%$1#5"++.11."*#"6#$%&#70-8.(&1#

Make addresslng serlous lndlvldual allegaLlons of human rlghLs vlolaLlons a key prlorlLy, and
dedlcaLe speclflc resources Lo Lhls Lask.

CollaLe maLerlals gaLhered by pasL commlsslons and bodles whlch have consldered lssues of
LorLure ln deLenLlon, safeguard such maLerlals ln such a way as Lo ensure Lhelr
preservaLlon and Lhe safeLy of Lhose who have made complalnLs, and follow-up where
Lhose maLerlals provlde credlble evldence of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL.

roperly lnvesLlgaLe cases already submlLLed Lo Lhe Commlsslon, and where sufflclenL
evldence ls avallable, make recommendaLlons for prosecuLlon of Lhe perpeLraLors and
provlslon of reparaLlon Lo Lhe vlcLlms. Lnsure any proLecLlon concerns of Lhose lnvolved
are fully consldered and addressed effecLlvely.

!"#-"/0-#")'0*.10$."*1##

ConLlnue Lo collecL evldence of human rlghLs vlolaLlons wheLher from Lhe pasL or presenL
and, where vlcLlms wlsh Lo brlng a case, asslsL ln LhaL regard.

lully conslder proLecLlon concerns of Lhose who ralse allegaLlons of LorLure and lll-
LreaLmenL.

Lxamlne and fosLer dlalogue on dlfferenL mechanlsms Lo address human rlghLs vlolaLlons ln
LranslLlonal democracles.

!"#.*$&)*0$."*0-#")'0*.10$."*1#0*8#8"*")1##

SupporL Lralnlng governmenLal and clvll socleLy acLors, lncludlng docLors and lawyers, ln
documenLaLlon of LorLure and LorLure-relaLed llLlgaLlon aL Lhe domesLlc level.

SupporL sLrengLhenlng of Lhe [udlclal sysLem Lo ensure lLs lndependence and capaclLy ln
relaLlon Lo human rlghLs llLlgaLlon.

ConLlnue Lo encourage Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon Lo lnvesLlgaLe credlble allegaLlons of
LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL ralsed before lL, and Lhe governmenL Lo Lake acLlon Lo address
pasL vlolaLlons, and supporL Lhem wlLh Lhe necessary resources Lo seL up mechanlsms
requlred.

##

4


II. IN1kCDUC1ICN
lbrahlm was suspecLed of a murder he knew noLhlng abouL. When he wouldn'L confess,
guards broughL Lwo pleces of wood and puL Lhem behlnd hls knees. 1hey forced hlm Lo drop
Lo Lhe floor, dlslocaLlng hls knees. AlshaLh (noL her real name) was 14 and ln prlson for drug
offences. AfLer a rloL aL Lhe prlson she was handcuffed Lo a coconuL Lree for four days and four
nlghLs, and klcked and beaLen wlLh baLons by guards. All (noL hls real name) would noL confess
Lo Lhe crlme he was accused of and so was Laken ouL Lo Lhe beach and Lhrown lnLo Lhe sea.
When Lhe guards flshed hlm ouL Lhey handcuffed hlm Lo a Lree wlLh hls feeL only [usL Louchlng
Lhe ground and covered hlm ln sugar waLer. AnLs cllmbed all over hls body. Pe was lefL llke
LhaL unLll 7 am Lhe nexL mornlng.
1hese are sLorles of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL reporLed by Lhose deLalned ln sLaLe cusLody ln
Lhe Maldlves before lLs democraLlc LranslLlon. And Lhey are noL unlque - Lhere are many
slmllar accounLs of Lhe sysLemaLlc and susLalned use of LorLure wlLhln Lhe SLaLe's prlsons and
pollce sLaLlons. 8uL unLll now, Lhe vlcLlms of such LreaLmenL have noL been provlded wlLh any
[usLlce for whaL was done Lo Lhem. uesplLe accepLlng LhaL LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL occurred
on a wlde scale, Lhe Maldlves ls yeL Lo address lLs legacy.
1he 1orLure vlcLlms' AssoclaLlon of Lhe Maldlves (1vA") documenLed Lhe LesLlmonles of
approxlmaLely 100 survlvors of LorLure ln Lhe Maldlves, carrled ouL ln 2011. 1hls 8eporL, for Lhe
flrsL Llme, glves volce Lo Lhese survlvors and hlghllghLs Lhelr experlences.
lLs alm ls Lo draw aLLenLlon Lo Lhe exLenL and naLure of LorLure commlLLed prlor Lo Lhe
Maldlves' democraLlc LranslLlon ln 2008, and Lo spur Lhe Maldlves governmenL and
lnLernaLlonal acLors Lo serlously address Lhe rlghLs of vlcLlms Lo a remedy and reparaLlon.
1hls 8eporL reflecLs only a small proporLlon of Lhe volces of LorLure survlvors ln Lhe Maldlves.
Powever, by maklng publlc Lhelr sLorles, lL hopes Lo ampllfy Lhelr calls for [usLlce, and
conLrlbuLe Lo a debaLe wlLhln Lhe Maldlves abouL how besL Lo recognlse Lhelr sufferlng,
provlde [usLlce and ensure LhaL lL never happens agaln.
7&$%"8"-"'9#
1he LesLlmonles referred Lo ln Lhls reporL were Laken by AmlnaLh na[eeb, a member of Lhe
1vA, beLween !uly and uecember 2011. Lach lnLervlew was recorded on vldeo, and Lhe 1vA
reLalns a copy of all lnLervlews ln a secure locaLlon ouLslde of Lhe Maldlves.
1hose lnLervlewed were lndlvlduals who allege LhaL Lhey were LorLured or lll-LreaLed durlng Lhe
perlod 1978 - 2008. 8ecause of posslble securlLy concerns, Lhe 1vA dld noL adverLlse LhaL lL
was Laklng LesLlmonles from vlcLlms. 1here was Lherefore no formal process of selecLlng Lhose
whose evldence was Laken, and no speclflc efforL Lo LargeL parLlcular groups. lnsLead, word
was spread among Lhe vlcLlms. Whlle Lhe ma[orlLy of lnLervlews were recorded ln Male,
LesLlmonles were Laken from across Lhe Maldlves, lncludlng ln some remoLe aLolls.
Lach lnLervlew was glven on Lhe basls of lnformed consenL, lncludlng for lLs use ln Lhe medla
and poLenLlal fuLure legal proceedlngs. Some lndlvlduals were happy for Lhelr names Lo be
made publlc, whlle oLhers consenLed Lo Lhe use of Lhelr sLaLemenLs wlLhouL ldenLlfylng
lnformaLlon. Clven Lhe changed pollLlcal slLuaLlon slnce Lhe lnLervlews were recorded, speclflc
consenL has been soughL for Lhelr use ln Lhls reporL, and names are only used where such
3

consenL has been glven. CLhers (lncludlng Lhose who have noL been able Lo be conLacLed)
have been referred Lo anonymously.
Lach of Lhe lnLervlews was recorded ln uhlvehl, Lhe naLlonal language of Lhe Maldlves. Many
hours of lnLervlews were recorded. 8ecause of llmlLed resources, 24 LesLlmonles ouL of Lhe
LoLal 100 were selecLed Lo represenL Lhe Lypes of evldence LhaL had been collecLed and were
Lranscrlbed and LranslaLed lnLo Lngllsh by pro[ecL members ln Lhe Maldlves. 1hey form Lhe
basls of Lhls reporL. Lach lnLervlew has been asslgned a number (1Sl-x), and ls referenced ln
LhaL way ln Lhls reporL.
III. 8ACkGkCUND AND CCN1Lk1
1he Maldlves ls an lsland naLlon ln Lhe lndlan Ccean, abouL 400 kllomeLres from lndla and 700
kllomeLres from Srl Lanka. lL has a populaLlon of approxlmaLely 313,000 people, llvlng on 200
of lLs 1,192 lslands. lL ls Lhe smallesL counLry ln Asla, boLh ln Lerms of populaLlon and
geographlcal slze.
1he Maldlves ls a counLry ln LranslLlon from auLhorlLarlan rule, whlch had characLerlsed lLs
pollLlcs for more Lhan 40 years afLer lL achleved lndependence, Lo democracy. 1he road Lo
democracy ls noL cerLaln, however, wlLh frequenL and ongolng proLesLs from boLh sldes of
pollLlcs and a change ln governmenL broughL abouL wlLh Lhe lnvolvemenL of Lhe pollce and
mlllLary ln lebruary Lhls year.
2.1$")9#
1he Maldlves was governed as an lslamlc sulLanaLe from 1133 Lo 1968, buL was a 8rlLlsh
proLecLoraLe for Lhe laLLer parL of LhaL perlod from 1887 Lo !uly 1963. ln 1933 Lhere was and
shorL-llved aLLempL Lo lnLroduce a republlc, buL Lhls was aborLed and Lhe sulLanaLe relnsLaLed.
1he sLrucLure of Lhe sulLanaLe was based on Lhe separaLlon of powers beLween Lhe klng as Lhe
head of sLaLe, Lhe rlme MlnlsLer as Lhe head of governmenL and Lhe Chlef !usLlce as Lhe head
of Lhe [udlclary.
ln 1963 Lhe Maldlves galned lndependence from Lhe 8rlLlsh. lL was ruled for a furLher Lhree
years under Lhe klng, and on 11 november 1968 a republlc was esLabllshed.
1he 8epubllc creaLed afLer lndependence was characLerlsed by a concenLraLlon of power ln Lhe
offlce of Lhe resldenL. 1hree years afLer securlng Lhe counLry's lndependence ln 1963,
lbrahlm naslr lefL Lhe poslLlon of rlme MlnlsLer Lo become resldenL of Lhe 8epubllc ln 1968.
1

very qulckly Lhe resldenL made consLlLuLlonal changes Lo cenLrallse power wlLhln hls offlce.
ConsequenLly, Lhe resldenL became Lhe comblned head of sLaLe, head of governmenL and
chlef [usLlce. Pe was also Lhe head of Lhe armed forces.
ln november 1978 naslr was succeeded by resldenL Maumoon Abdul Cayyoom. 1he
consolldaLlon of sLaLe powers wlLhln Lhe resldenL's offlce conLlnued durlng resldenL
Cayyoom's rule. lor Lhe nexL 30 years, he sLayed as Lhe head of sLaLe wlLhln a governance
sLrucLure LhaL remalned consLlLuLlonally unchanged. Pe was Lhe head of sLaLe, head of
governmenL, head of Lhe armed forces, Lhe supreme auLhorlLy on rellglous affalrs as well as

1
'uhuh 1hanaa lvunu Adu . 3' (2011), p.492, 'lyye' (1997), p.138.

6


Lhe head of Lhe [udlclary.
2
A new consLlLuLlon adopLed ln 1998 lnLroduced no slgnlflcanL
sLrucLural changes, and furLher concenLraLed power ln Lhe execuLlve.
1he perlod from lndependence unLll 2008 was characLerlsed by subsLanLlal resLrlcLlons on
personal llberLy. lreedom of expresslon and oplnlon were llmlLed, and arresL on pollLlcal
grounds was commonplace.
3
As Lhls reporL shows, a furLher sLark feaLure of llfe durlng Lhls
perlod was Lhe use of arblLrary deLenLlon and LorLure by Lhe securlLy servlces - boLh agalnsL
pollLlcal prlsoners and Lhose arresLed on ordlnary charges.
!")$3)&#0*8#.--:$)&0$+&*$#.*#$%&#70-8.(&1##
1orLure ls deflned ln Lhe ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure as ooy oct by wblcb sevete polo ot
soffetloq, wbetbet pbyslcol ot meotol, ls loteotlooolly lofllcteJ oo o petsoo fot socb potposes os
obtololoq ftom blm ot o tbltJ petsoo lofotmotloo ot o coofessloo, poolsbloq blm fot oo oct be
ot o tbltJ petsoo bos commltteJ ot ls sospecteJ of bovloq commltteJ, ot lotlmlJotloq ot
coetcloq blm ot o tbltJ petsoo, ot fot ooy teosoo boseJ oo Jlsctlmlootloo of ooy kloJ, wbeo
socb polo ot soffetloq ls lofllcteJ by ot ot tbe lostlqotloo of ot wltb tbe cooseot ot ocpolesceoce
of o pobllc offlclol ot otbet petsoo octloq lo oo offlclol copoclty".
4

1orLure and cruel, lnhuman and degradlng LreaLmenL are absoluLely prohlblLed, as a maLLer of
boLh LreaLy and cusLomary lnLernaLlonal law, havlng aLLalned Lhe sLaLus of jos coqeos, LhaL ls a
norm LhaL cannoL be derogaLed from under any clrcumsLances.
3
1orLure ls so serlous LhaL lL ls
also recognlsed as an lnLernaLlonal crlme - Lhe vlolaLlon of an lnLernaLlonal rule LhaL leads Lo
Lhe personal crlmlnal responslblllLy of Lhe lndlvldual perpeLraLor.
6

1orLure has also been ouLlawed under successlve Maldlvlan ConsLlLuLlons. ArLlcle 8 of Lhe
1968 ConsLlLuLlon provlded LhaL oo oct tbot coostltotes tottote ooJ botm sboolJ be cooJocteJ
ooJet ooy cltcomstooces".
7
Slmllarly, alLhough Lhe 1998 ConsLlLuLlon dld noL speclflcally refer
Lo Lhe prohlblLlon of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL, lL provlded LhaL No oct Jettlmeotol to tbe llfe,
llbetty, boJy, oome, tepototloo ot ptopetty of o petsoo sboll be commltteJ except os ptovlJeJ
by low" (ArLlcle 13(c)). 1he ConsLlLuLlon furLher sLlpulaLed LhaL: Aoy MolJlvloo cltlzeo
sobjecteJ to opptesslve tteotmeot sboll bove tbe tlqbt to oppeol oqolost socb tteotmeot to tbe
coocetoeJ ootbotltles ooJ to tbe lteslJeot of tbe kepobllc" (ArLlcle 13(d)).
Powever, Lhe Maldlves was noL a parLy Lo lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs LreaLles speclflcally
ouLlawlng LorLure unLll Lhe mld-2000s.
8
lLs record on LorLure was Lherefore noL sub[ecLed Lo

2
1968 ConsLlLuLlon, ArLs. 23 (Pead of SLaLe), 37 (Supreme AuLhorlLy on 8ellglous Affalrs), 38 (ower of clemencys),
33 (Pead of CovernmenL), 91 (ower Lo appolnL [udlclary), 1998 ConsLlLuLlon, ArLs. 33 (Pead of SLaLe, Pead of
CovernmenL and Lhe Commander-ln-Chlef of Lhe Armed lorces and of Lhe ollce), 38 (supreme auLhorlLy Lo
propagaLe Lhe LeneLs of lslam ln Lhe Maldlves), 39 (hlghesL auLhorlLy of admlnlsLerlng [usLlce), 40 (power Lo granL
pardons).
3
See, eg. AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal, kepobllc of MolJlves. ltlsooets of cooscleoce ooJ oofolt ttlol coocetos 1990 - 199J,
May 1993, AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal, 1be MolJlves. ltlsooets of cooscleoce / feot of tottote ot lll-tteotmeot, !uly 1998,
AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal, kepobllc of MolJlves. keptessloo of leocefol Opposltloo, !uly 2003, pp. 6-7.
4
ArL. 1.
3
ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure (CA1"), ArL. 2, lnLernaLlonal CovenanL on Clvll and ollLlcal 8lghLs (lCC8"), ArL. 7.
ltosecotot v. lotooJzljo, !udgmenL, Case no. l1-93-17/1-1 (lC1? 1rlal Chamber, 10 uecember 1998), see also
8urgers & uanellus (1998), nooJbook to tbe cooveotloo Aqolost 1ottote ooJ Otbet ctoel, lobomoo ooJ ueqtoJloq
1teotmeot ooJ loolsbmeot, MarLlnus nl[hoff, p. 1.
6
See ue Wulf, SLeven (2011), 1be 5lqootote of vll. (ke)uefloloq 1ottote lo lotetootloool low, lnLersenLla, p. 20
clLlng AnLonlo Cassese (2003), lotetootloool ctlmlool low, Cu, p. 23.
7
unofflclal LranslaLlon.
8
AlLhough lL was parLy Lo Lhe followlng LreaLles whlch are relevanL Lo LorLure commlLLed agalnsL lndlvlduals from
cerLaln groups: Lhe ConvenLlon on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of All lorms of 8aclal ulscrlmlnaLlon (CL8u") (24 Aprll 1984), Lhe
7

Lhe scruLlny of any unlLed naLlons LreaLy body. Powever, non-governmenLal organlzaLlons
lncludlng AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal and Lhe Aslan Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon publlshed numerous
reporLs documenLlng allegaLlons of vlolaLlons ln Lhe perlod before Lhe democraLlc LranslLlon.
Such reporLs referred Lo wldespread LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL ln places of deLenLlon,
9
and Lo
Lhe use of corporal punlshmenL (sLlll used ln Lhe Maldlves), whlch ls also consldered Lo fall
wlLhln Lhe prohlblLlon.
10

lollowlng pollLlcal and lnsLlLuLlonal reforms durlng Lhe pasL decade, Lhe CovernmenL of Lhe
Maldlves has acknowledged LhaL Lhe use of LorLure was sysLemaLlc ln Lhe counLry. As sLaLed ln
lLs unlversal erlodlc 8evlew reporL Lo Lhe Puman 8lghLs Councll ln 2010:
uofottoootely, tbete bos beeo o looq-stooJloq coltote lo tbe MolJlves, omooq qovetomeot
ootbotltles, low eofotcemeot oqeocles ooJ tbe cootts, of Jeoyloq tbe exlsteoce of tottote ot
otbet ctoel, lobomoo ot JeqtoJloq tteotmeot, of lqootloq evlJeoce to tbe coottoty, ooJ of
cteotloq oo otmospbete lo wblcb loJlvlJools coo petpettote tottote wltb telotlve lmpoolty.
1bls otmospbete wos soppotteJ by o system lo wblcb. tbete wos oo Jemoctotlc ovetslqbt of
low eofotcemeot ot secotlty oqeocles, tbete wete oo lows ot ptoceJotes lo ploce to pteveot
tottote, ooJ leqol occoootoblllty ooJ bomoo tlqbts ptotectloo fot tbose ot tlsk wos olmost
totolly obseot.
11

!%&#,"-.$./0-#0*8#-&'0-#/"*$&;$#
A number of facLors faclllLaLed Lhe use of LorLure, and allowed lL Lo go unchecked. 1hese
lncluded an exLreme concenLraLlon of execuLlve power, lack of legal safeguards and
proLecLlons agalnsL LorLure, Lhe absence of an lndependenL and well-Lralned [udlclary, and a
powerful securlLy servlce under Lhe command of Lhe execuLlve, whlch conLrolled naLlonal
defence, domesLlc pollclng, and Lhe prlsons.
Ao oll-powetfol execotlve
1he 1998 ConsLlLuLlon consolldaLed Lhe exLreme concenLraLlon of power ln Lhe execuLlve (see
above aL page 6). Changes lnLroduced lncluded allowlng Lhe resldenL Lo serve an unllmlLed
number of Lerms, Lhe lnLroducLlon of parllamenLary lmmunlLy, and requlrlng [udges and
maglsLraLes Lo Lake a speclal oaLh of loyalLy Lo Lhe sLaLe.
12


ConvenLlon on Lhe 8lghLs of Lhe Chlld (C8C") (11 lebruary 1991, sub[ecL Lo reservaLlons), and Lhe ConvenLlon on
Lhe LllmlnaLlon of ulscrlmlnaLlon agalnsL Women (CLuAW") (1 !uly 1993, sub[ecL Lo reservaLlons).
9
See, eg. AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal, kepobllc of MolJlves. ltlsooets of cooscleoce ooJ oofolt ttlol coocetos 1990 - 199J,
May 1993, AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal, 1be MolJlves. ltlsooets of cooscleoce / feot of tottote ot lll-tteotmeot, !uly 1998,
AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal, kepobllc of MolJlves. keptessloo of leocefol Opposltloo, !uly 2003, pp. 6-7 (referrlng Lo
prlsoners belng denled access Lo adequaLe food and medlcal faclllLles, Lhe use of forced sLandlng and sLress
poslLlons lncludlng whlle belng chalned Lo meLal glrders, sleep deprlvaLlon, belng handcuffed Lo coconuL palms,
humlllaLlon of female prlsoners, rape and beaLlngs, lncludlng Lhe reporLed beaLlng Lo deaLh of a 19 year old man
named All Shaahlr ln cusLody ln !anuary 2003), Aslan Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon, MolJlves. Covetomeot of MolJlves
most eoJ lotoletoble tlqbts oboses, !uly 2004, Aslan Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon, MolJlves/loJlo. 1orLure,
harassmenL, humlllaLlon and lnhuman LreaLmenL of 1amll prlsoners ln Maldlves [all, SepLember 2003.
10
nlqqlosoo v Iomolco, Puman 8lghLs CommlLLee, CommunlcaLlon no. 792/1998, u.n. uoc. CC8/C/74/u/792/1998
(2002), 1ytet v uolteJ kloqJom, 23 Aprll 1978, Luropean CourL of Puman 8lghLs (AppllcaLlon no. 3836/72), coesot v
1tlolJoJ ooJ 1oboqo, !udgmenL of March 11, 2003, lnLer-Am CL. P.8. (Ser. C) no. 123 (2003). Cn Lhls lssue see
furLher 8Lu8LSS eL al. (2012) 'no more cracklng Lhe whlp: Llme Lo end corporal punlshmenL ln Sudan', avallable aL
hLLp://www.redress.org/downloads/publlcaLlons/Corporal20unlshmenL20-20Lngllsh.pdf.
11
un Puman 8lghLs Councll, 'naLlonal reporL submlLLed ln accordance wlLh paragraph 13 (a) of Lhe annex Lo Puman
8lghLs Councll resoluLlon 3/1: Maldlves', A/P8C/WC.6/9/Muv/1/8ev.1, AugusL 2010, para. 32.
12
CommonwealLh SecreLarlaL (2003), MolJlves lotllomeototy lectloos 2005. kepott of tbe commooweoltb xpett
1eom, p.3

8


under Lhe ConsLlLuLlon, Lhe resldenL had Lhe power Lo appolnL and remove from offlce Lhe
vlce resldenL, Chlef !usLlce, !udges, Speaker and uepuLy Speaker of Lhe eople's Ma[lls
(arllamenL), MlnlsLers, ALLorney-Ceneral, represenLaLlves senL abroad, ALoll Chlefs, Lhe
AudlLor Ceneral and Lhe LlecLlons Commlssloner.
13

LeglslaLlve power LhroughouL Lhls Llme was vesLed ln Lhe eople's Ma[lls, whlch conslsLed of 42
elecLed members and elghL members appolnLed by Lhe resldenL. AlLhough elecLlons were
held as requlred by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon, campalgnlng was LlghLly resLrlcLed,
14
pollLlcal parLles were
noL allowed, and boundarles were unevenly drawn.
weok joJlcloty ooJ leqol system
1he courLs dld noL acL as check agalnsL LxecuLlve power, as Lhe resldenL had compleLe conLrol
of Lhe [udlclary. 1he amended ConsLlLuLlons of 1968 and 1998 vesLed Lhe power Lo appolnL
[udges ln Lhe resldenL, and allowed hlm ot bls Jlsctetloo" Lo remove any !udge from offlce.
1he power of clemency resLed solely on Lhe resldenL. 1he resldenL was also Lhe flnal arblLer
of appeals from Lhe CourLs.
13
under Lhe ConsLlLuLlon he was allowed Lo hear appeals from Lhe
Plgh CourL, wlLh hls declslon belng flnal. Accordlng Lo a reporL by !usLlce Marcus Lnfleld
prepared for Lhe CommonwealLh ln 2003, and faclllLaLed by Lhe Cfflce of Lhe ALLorney Ceneral:
wbot ls koowo os o IoJlclol commlttee, wblcb meets lo bls offlce, beots tbese oppeols ooJ
oJvlses tbe lteslJeot oboot tbelt tesolt, bot tbls ptocess oppeots to be execotlve ot
oJmlolsttotlve totbet tboo joJlclol. 1bete ote oo "beotloqs" os socb oltbooqb wtltteo
sobmlssloos by tbe pottles ote eotettoloeJ. Apott ftom tbe cblef Iostlce wbose nlqb cootts
Jeclsloos ote tbose oppeoleJ to tbe IoJlclol commlttee, lts otbet membets ote oot joJqes ot
oll. 1be Attotoey Ceoetol wbo, os tbe ootloos cblef ptosecotot, ls lo sobstooce ooe of tbe
pottles to mooy oppeols, wos o membet of tbe commlttee ootll polte teceotly.
16

ln addlLlon Lo lLs lack of lndependence, Lhe [udlclary lLself had llmlLed capaclLy. ln 2004 lL was
wldely acknowledged LhaL [udges lock oJepoote leqol ttololoq . tbe leqol ptofessloo ls
telotlvely yoooq ooJ ttololoq lo tbe commoo low jwblcb, lo comblootloo wltb lslomlc low, fotms
pott of tbe MolJlvloo leqol system] ls o compototlvely oew occotteoce omooqst leqol
ptofessloools".
17
AL LhaL Llme Lhere was no faculLy of law ln Lhe Maldlves, alLhough Lhe
Sharl'ah lnsLlLuLe had a School of Law whlch provlded some Lralnlng ln legal prlnclples.
Whlle Lhe ConsLlLuLlons of 1968 and 1998 guaranLeed Lhe proLecLlon of cerLaln fundamenLal
rlghLs, Lhe legal sysLem had noL developed mechanlsms Lo ensure Lhose rlghLs. PlghllghLlng Lhe
predomlnanL lssues of lotqe ptopottloo of tbe popolotloo setvloq seoteoces lo ptlsoo", an
observer ldenLlfled Lhe followlng weaknesses wlLhln Lhe counLry's legal sysLem:
. weok ptoceJotol sttoctotes ooJ o lock of lows qovetoloq leqol ptoceJotes, tbe obseoce of
o fotmol low tepottloq system wblcb ls loblbltloq tbe estobllsbmeot of o sttooq Jocttloe of

13
!usLlce Marcus 8 Lnfleld (2003), 'SLrengLhenlng Lhe Maldlvlan !udlclal SysLem - urafL ulscusslon aper', para. 3.2.
14
lor example, campalgnlng was llmlLed Lo no more Lhan a monLh and speeches ln publlc places were banned:
1urner (2004), '8eporL followlng a revlew of Lhe Maldlves' elecLoral laws, regulaLlons and oLher relaLed leglslaLlon,
procedures and admlnlsLraLlve mechanlsms', CommonwealLh SecreLarlaL, p. 17, avallable aL:
hLLp://www.maldlvesmlsslon.ch/pdf/8eformAgenda/new/8eporL_on_Lhe_LlecLoral_SysLem.pdf.
13
1998 ConsLlLuLlon, ArL. 39.
16
Lnfleld (2003), above n. 13, SecLlon 3.1.
17
lbld., SecLlon 3.2.
9

leqol pteceJeot, oocettoloty teqotJloq tbe tespectlve stooJotJs of ptoof lo clvll ooJ ctlmlool
mottets, ooJ oocleot ptloclples teqolotloq tbe oJmlssloo of evlJeoce.
18

1he ConsLlLuLlonal role and weakness of Lhe [udlclary meanL LhaL Lhere was no check on
execuLlve power. 1hose who were broughL before Lhe CourLs dld noL expecL, and dld noL
recelve, proLecLlon from vlolaLlons by Lhe SLaLe.
lowetfol Notloool 5ecotlty 5etvlce
1he mlllLary and pollce servlces were LradlLlonally comblned, operaLlng as Lhe naLlonal Cuard
(Slfaln) under Lhe conLrol of Lhe MlnlsLry of ubllc SafeLy. unLll Lhe laLe 1930s Lhe Slfaln only
had a ceremonlal mlllLary role, buL by Lhe 1970s lL had become Lhe paramlllLary pollce,
defence, presldenLlal bodyguard, lmmlgraLlon and emlgraLlon documenLaLlon, border conLrol,
lnLelllgence, esplonage and clvll defence organ of Lhe Maldlves.
19
ln 1978, Lhe Slfaln was
renamed Lhe naLlonal SecurlLy Servlce (nSS) and Lhe MlnlsLry of ubllc SafeLy became Lhe
MlnlsLry of uefence and naLlonal SecurlLy. 1he resldenL was Lhe Commander-ln-Chlef of Lhe
nSS, and Lhe MlnlsLer of uefence and naLlonal SecurlLy was Lhe uepuLy Commander-ln-Chlef.
20

1he nSS was also ln charge of runnlng Lhe prlson ln Lhe Maldlves. uurlng much of Lhe perlod
covered by Lhls reporL, key faclllLles lncluded deLenLlon cenLres and prlsons ln Male, a prlson
called Caamaadhoo on Plmmafushl lsland (desLroyed ln a rloL ln 1998), a prlson on Maafushl
lsland (approxlmaLely 23 km from Male), and a deLenLlon cenLre on Lhe small lsland of
uhoonldhoo (a shorL dlsLance from Male). 8oLh Caamaadhoo and Maafushl were slLuaLed on
lnhablLed lslands, away from Lhe local populaLlon. uhoonldhoo was and remalns excluslvely a
prlson lsland, and was used Lo deLaln pollLlcal prlsoners.
uurlng Lhe 2000s change was gradually lnLroduced so LhaL by 2003, generally, Lhe ueparLmenL
of CorrecLlons was responslble for Maafushl !all, and Lhe Maafushl !all SecurlLy unlL (parL of
Lhe nSS) handled maLLers of prlson securlLy. 1he former funcLloned under Lhe MlnlsLry of
Pome Affalrs, whlle Lhe laLLer were under Lhe MlnlsLry of uefence and naLlonal SecurlLy.
21

!")$3)&#0*8#$%&#$)0*1.$."*#$"#8&+"/)0/9#
1he lssue of LorLure ln deLenLlon was a caLalysL for dramaLlc changes ln Lhe Maldlves ln Lhe
mld-2000s. Cn 19 SepLember 2003, a young man, Lvan naseem, was Laken ouLslde hls prlson
block ln Maafushl prlson, cuffed Lo an lron rall wlLh hls hands above hls head, and beaLen Lo
deaLh by [all securlLy personnel uslng baLons, wooden boards, chalrs and lron plpes. Clvll
unresL followed, and Lhe nexL day guards opened flre aL unarmed prlsoners, woundlng 21 and
kllllng Lhree.
1he resldenL appolnLed an lndependenL commlsslon of lnqulry, whose flndlngs broughL Lo
llghL Lhe speclflc clrcumsLances of Lvan naseem's deaLh, and wlLh lL, a sysLem of
lnsLlLuLlonallsed LorLure ln Maafushl prlson.
22
AL Lhe same Llme a reporL whlch had been
wrlLLen by an offlclal aL Maafushl [all ln !uly 2003 (prlor Lo Lvan's deaLh) was leaked. lL warned
of Lhe lnsLlLuLlonallsed and offlclally overseen use of beaLlngs and oLher forms of LorLure by

18
lbld.
19
See webpage 'Maldlves naLlonal SecurlLy Servlce', avallable aL:
hLLp://www.maldlvesroyalfamlly.com/maldlves_nss.shLml.
20
Maldlves naLlonal uefence lorce, 'PlsLory', avallable aL: hLLp://www.mndf.gov.mv/v3/?page_ld=12.
21
resldenLlal Commlsslon (2004), 'lnvesLlgaLlve llndlngs on Lhe ueaLh of Passan Lvan naseem', 27 !anuary 2004
(Lngllsh LranslaLlon) avallable aL: hLLp://www.dhlvehlobserver.com/reporLs/PassanLvannaseemengllsh.pdf, para.
6.1.1.
22
lbld.

10


naLlonal securlLy servlce personnel wlLhln prlsons, and had cauLloned LhaL acLlon needed Lo be
Laken.
23

Accordlng Lo a recenL lnLernaLlonal Commlsslon of !urlsLs mlsslon Lo Lhe Maldlves Lvan
naseem's deaLh and Lhe clvll unresL LhaL followed conLlnue Lo be seen as oo blstotlc totoloq
polot oftet wblcb o setles of slqolflcoot tefotms wete posslble".
24
A number of lmporLanL
changes Look place aL Lhe Llme. ln !uly 2004, Lhe Speclal Ma[lls was convened Lo reform Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon, and ln uecember, Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of Lhe Maldlves was
esLabllshed. Also ln 2004, Lhe pollce became a clvll body under Lhe conLrol of Lhe MlnlsLry of
Pome Affalrs (responslble for Lhe admlnlsLraLlon of Lhe prlson sysLem), leadlng Lo a revlslon of
Lhe remlL of Lhe nSS and Lhe creaLlon of Lhe Maldlves naLlonal uefence lorce (Mnul) ln 2006.
ln !une 2003 pollLlcal parLles were permlLLed Lo reglsLer, and ln november 2003 Lhe resldenL
announced sLeps Lowards Lhe separaLlon of execuLlve and [udlclal power, lncludlng Lhrough
Lhe formaLlon of a !udlclal Servlces Commlsslon Lo oversee Lhe appolnLmenL and dlsmlssal of
[udges.
uurlng Lhls Llme Lhe Maldlves also became parLy Lo a number of lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs
LreaLles, lncludlng Lhe ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure (ln 2004) and Lhe lnLernaLlonal CovenanL on
Clvll and ollLlcal 8lghLs (ln 2006).
1he new consLlLuLlon was flnallsed ln !une 2008. lL enshrlnes Lhe rlghL Lo llfe, llberLy and
securlLy of Lhe person,
23
Lhe rlghL Lo be free from cruel, lnhumane or degradlng LreaLmenL or
punlshmenL, or Lo LorLure,
26
Lhe rlghL noL Lo be arblLrarlly deLalned, arresLed or lmprlsoned
27

and Lhe rlghL of arresLed and deLalned persons Lo be LreaLed wlLh humanlLy and wlLh respecL
for Lhe lnherenL dlgnlLy of Lhe human person.
28

MulLlparLy elecLlons were held for Lhe flrsL Llme ln november 2008 Lo elecL Lhe resldenL.
AfLer a run-off elecLlon Lhe leader of Lhe Maldlvlan naLlonal uemocraLlc arLy, Mohamed
nasheed, was elecLed as resldenL wlLh 34 of Lhe voLe. 1he flrsL parllamenLary elecLlons
were held ln november 2009.
Powever, desplLe Lhe lmporLance of Lhe lssue of LorLure ln deLenLlon Lo Lhe pollLlcal changes ln
Lhe Maldlves, Lhe legacy of LorLure ln Lhe counLry, and ln parLlcular Lhe sufferlng of lndlvldual
survlvors, has noL been addressed ln any real or effecLlve way by Lhe governmenLs whlch have
followed. 1he flrsL democraLlcally elecLed governmenL appeared Lo be Lreadlng a flne llne
beLween movlng forward and deallng wlLh Lhe pasL. ln lLs reporL Lo Lhe unlversal erlodlc
8evlew ln 2010 lL was sLaLed LhaL:
5loce Novembet 2008, tbe MolJlves bos beeo lo peocefol ttoosltloo to o llbetol Jemoctocy. .
uesplte o teceot blstoty scotteJ by setloos bomoo tlqbts oboses, tbe Jemoctotlc ttoosltloo
bos tokeo ploce lo oo otJetly ooJ peocefol moooet, ooJ Jesplte tbe foct tbot mooy people lo
tbe MolJlves, locloJloq membets of tbe cotteot Covetomeot wete tbe vlctlms of socb oboses,
colls fot teveoqe ote oow foJloq. 1bls Jetetmlootloo to look fotwotJ ls epltomlseJ by

23
8eporL of LleuLenanL Mohamed Aswan, AsslsLanL Lo 8ase Commander, ueLenLlon SecurlLy unlL Maafushl !all, Lo
Lhe Commandlng Cfflcer of Lhe ueLenLlon SecurlLy unlL, LleuLenanL Colonel lbrahlm 8asheed, daLed 2 !uly 2003
('ASW leLLer').
24
lnLernaLlonal Commlsslon of !urlsLs (2011), 'Maldlves: Securlng an lndependenL !udlclary ln a 1lme of 1ranslLlon',
para. 7, avallable aL: hLLp://www.lc[.org/dwn/daLabase/Maldlves20lC!20Mlsslon208eporL2021-02-11.pdf.
23
ConsLlLuLlon of Lhe 8epubllc of Lhe Maldlves 2008 (ConsLlLuLlon"), ArL.21.
26
ConsLlLuLlon, ArL.34.
27
ConsLlLuLlon, ArL.43.
28
ConsLlLuLlon, ArL.37.
11

lteslJeot NosbeeJ, wbo Jesplte beloq lmptlsooeJ ooJ tottoteJ oo o oombet of occosloos,
bos otqeJ cltlzeos to stoy colm ooJ bos colleJ oo tbe nomoo klqbts commlssloo of tbe
MolJlves to loJepeoJeotly lovestlqote oboses petpettoteJ by tbe fotmet teqlme.
29

As Lhls reporL wlll show, lnsLlLuLlons have noL yeL been able or wllllng Lo deal wlLh allegaLlons of
serlous human rlghLs abuses ln Lhe pasL, leavlng vlcLlms wlLhouL a remedy. Whlle some measures
have been Laken Lo prevenL LorLure happenlng ln Lhe fuLure, Lhose measures cannoL be fully
effecLlve wlLhouL comlng Lo Lerms wlLh whaL occurred ln Lhe pasL.
IV. 1Ck1UkL AND ILL-1kLA1MLN1 (1978-2008)
a. Cverv|ew
1he lnformaLlon presenLed ln Lhls secLlon draws on Lhe LesLlmonles of 100 survlvors who were
sub[ecLed Lo LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL beLween 1978 and 2008, as well as from a former
correcLlons deparLmenL offlclal. 1wenLy-four of Lhose 100 LesLlmonles have been Lranscrlbed
and LranslaLed lnLo Lngllsh, and are speclflcally referred Lo ln Lhls secLlon. AlLhough only
lllusLraLlve examples, Lhe LesLlmonles demonsLraLe Lhe wldespread and lnsLlLuLlonallsed
pracLlce of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL ln Lhe Maldlves durlng Lhe relevanL perlod.
1he LesLlmonles show LhaL Lhere ls conslsLenL evldence of meLhods of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL
belng used agalnsL a large number of deLalnees over a long perlod, whlch lndlcaLes LhaL Lhe
pracLlce was sysLemaLlc. 1orLure and lll-LreaLmenL were reporLed aL Lhe Llme of arresL, aL
lnlLlal quesLlonlng, and pre-Lrlal ln an aLLempL Lo galn a confesslon. lurLhermore, a sLrlklng
feaLure of many of Lhe LesLlmonles ls Lhe conLlnued use of LorLure as lndlvldual or collecLlve
punlshmenL meLed ouL by securlLy servlces offlcers on prlsoners over Lhe course of Lhelr
senLence.
1he LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL were ofLen lnfllcLed ouLslde Lhe prlson bulldlngs, and guards
appear Lo have been glven free range Lo use whaLever meLhods Lhey chose - ranglng from
beaLlngs, Lo burnlngs, belng Lled Lo palm Lrees, Lhe use of hlgh-pressure hoses, belng Lhrown ln
Lhe sea afLer havlng passed ouL, belng resLralned and covered ln sugar waLer Lo aLLracL anLs,
belng locked ln a goaL pen and belng covered ln leaves for Lhe goaLs Lo eaL, belng forced Lo
sLrlp and parade naked, and ln one case belng Lled Lo a cage wlLh a crocodlle ln lL. ln anoLher
case a man reporLed belng held benL over ln sLocks for over a monLh whlle pollce aLLempLed Lo
geL hlm Lo confess.
30

1he LesLlmonles supporL whaL a former prlson offlclal reporLed Lo auLhorlLles ln !uly 2003 as a
well lngralned and lnsLlLuLlonallzed sysLem of LorLure ln [all, under whlch squads were well
versed ln meLhods of LorLure, and used a speclal language where Lhe offlcer ln charge dld noL
need Lo express ln so many words whlch form of LorLure Lo lnfllcL.
31

1he LesLlmonles show LhaL LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL were noL reserved for a parLlcular 'Lype' of
deLalnee, buL lnsLead were carrled ouL on pollLlcal and non-pollLlcal deLalnees, male and
female, young and old. 1he LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL lnfllcLed on Lhese vlcLlms frequenLly has
had a slgnlflcanL adverse lmpacL on Lhelr llfe, lncludlng by leadlng Lo medlcal problems, loss of

29
naLlonal 8eporL for Lhe unlversal erlodlc 8evlew (2010), above n.11, para.11.
30
1Sl-002, p.3.
31
8eporL of LleuLenanL Mohamed Aswan, ueLenLlon SecurlLy unlL, Maafushl !all, 2 !uly 2003.

12


educaLlonal opporLunlLles, severe negaLlve consequences for famlly llfe, bankrupLcy, and an
lnablllLy Lo work.
1he nexL secLlons wlll examlne paLLerns and feaLures of Lhe cases reporLed - showlng Lhe
range of people affecLed, Lhe conLexLs ln whlch LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL were used, Lhe Lypes
and paLLerns of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL alleged, and Lhe effecLs Lhey have had.
b. Victims of torture and ill-treatment
vlcLlms sub[ecLed Lo LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL roughly fall lnLo Lwo caLegorles: Lhose engaged
ln pollLlcal acLlvlLles and Lhose suspecLed of common crlmes. 1he ma[orlLy of Lhose whose
lnLervlews were lncluded ln Lhe sample were male (Lhough Lhe LesLlmony from a female
prlsoner suggesLs LhaL female deLalnees were sub[ecLed Lo slmllar LreaLmenL), and whlle Lhey
ranged ln age, a number of Lhem were mlnors aL Lhe Llme of Lhelr deLenLlon and lll-LreaLmenL,
Lhe youngesL reporLlng Lo have been 13 aL Lhe Llme.
32

<"-.$./0-#0))&1$1#
Among Lhose lnLervlewed, arresLs, deLenLlon and lll-LreaLmenL appear ofLen Lo have been
pollLlcally moLlvaLed. A number of vlcLlms were acLlvely engaged ln pollLlcal acLlvlLles,
supporLlng or campalgnlng for reform, whlle oLhers were caughL up ln pollLlcs by, for example,
belng accused of aLLendlng proLesLs or rallles or of defamlng Lhe resldenL.
33

!ournallsLs and pollLlcal acLlvlsLs were noLably LargeLed.
34
Abdulla Saeed, a [ournallsL, was
arresLed and deLalned on several occaslons for Lhe sLorles he reporLed. Pe was lnLlmldaLed and
had hls press pass conflscaLed a number of Llmes, and was laLer lmprlsoned on false charges.
AL one polnL, he was Lold LhaL he was belng LargeLed becoose l boJ sbowo o vlJeo tbot
JlstespecteJ tbe boooot ooJ stotos of tbe lteslJeot. ...1bot wos becoose tbe vlJeo wos socb
tbot lt sboweJ bls bolJ spot oo 1v...lt wos o vlJeo tbot sboweJ tbe lteslJeots fotm
oootttoctlvely".
33

Several members of Lhe Maldlvlan uemocraLlc arLy were arresLed by Slfaln and CoasL Cuard
personnel whlle aLLempLlng Lo Lravel Lo Male Lo meeL wlLh members of parllamenL.
36
Cne was
Lold:
.Jo yoo tblok yoo coo ovettbtow tbls tole? l solJ ootbloq, jost stooJ tbete lookloq
JowowotJs. coo tbe 6 ot so of yoo btloq Jowo tbls tole? uoot yoo koow tbot tbe powet to
tole ls sometbloq qlveo by CoJ? . lostly jtbey] solJ tbot yoo coot qet owoy, yoo bove to tell
os evetytbloq. we wlll moke yoo tell os evetytbloq. 15l-006 p.8
Crdlnary clLlzens who were belleved Lo be opposed Lo or challenglng Lhe rullng governmenL
were equally aL rlsk.
37
Ahmed !azeel was approachlng a markeL where a demonsLraLlon was
Laklng place when he was arresLed by pollce.
38
llfLeen year old Zahld Mohamed was accused

32
1Sl-003 (13 years old), 1Sl-004 (13 years old), 1Sl-009 (13 years old), 1Sl-010 (17 years old), 1Sl-013 (14 years old),
1Sl-024 (14 years old).
33
1Sl-001, 1Sl-004, 1Sl-003, 1Sl-006, 1Sl-007, 1Sl-009, 1Sl-011, 1Sl-012, 1Sl-014, 1Sl-016, 1Sl-017, 1Sl-018, 1Sl-021,
1Sl-022, 1Sl-023.
34
1Sl-003, 1Sl-006, 1Sl-007, 1Sl-014, 1Sl-016, 1Sl-017, 1Sl-018, 1Sl-021.
33
1Sl-021 p.1. See also 1Sl-021 p.3.
36
1Sl-006, 1Sl-007, 1Sl-017.
37
1Sl-001, 1Sl-004, 1Sl-009, 1Sl-012, 1Sl-022, 1Sl-023, 1Sl-026.
38
1Sl -001, p.2.
13

of vandallslng a campalgn banner and was held ln an lsolaLlon cell ln uhoonldhoo for abouL 13
days.
39
Clven hls age he was, he says, lo o stote of qteot feot". AfLer days of quesLlonlng he
was released wlLhouL any charge.
40

=31,&/$1#"6#/"++"*#/).+&1#

CLher vlcLlms were arresLed and deLalned on drugs charges, for LhefL and oLher crlmes.
41
ln
Lhese cases, Lhe suspecLs were LorLured and forced Lo confess ln an aLLempL by law
enforcemenL personnel Lo qulckly close cases. WlLhouL any effecLlve legal safeguards, and
wlLh an all-powerful securlLy servlce, lL appears LhaL Lhere was an almosL compleLe rellance on
confesslon evldence, and a paLLern of obLalnlng lL by repeaLedly sub[ecLlng Lhose deLalned Lo
LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL.
lor example, on lndlvldual lnLervlewed was arresLed and accused of breaklng lnLo a house and
sLeallng. Several oLhers were also deLalned and Lhey were all Lhen accused of commlLLlng
several oLher LhefLs.
5o tbey kept 8 of os lo tbot ploce, tbey took os lo two ot o tlme ooJ took stotemeots. As tbey
cootlooeJ to toke jtbe stotemeots] ooJ tbe otbet 7 coofesseJ lo ftoot of me, l JlJ oot
cooceJe. l jost booq oo. l kept booqloq oo ooJ wbeo tbete wos oo otbet optloo fot tbe 7 of
tbem - ooJ wbeo tbe 7 of tbem toqetbet solJ lo ftoot of me tbot l boJ qooe, l coofesseJ tbot l
JlJ. wbeo lt wos oo looqet posslble to eoJote tbe poolsbmeot, l coofesseJ tbot l weot. 1beo
tbey flolsbeJ tokloq stotemeots llke tbot ooJ flolsbeJ tbe lovestlqotloo fot tbot Joy.
42

AnoLher survlvor Lold how such Lechnlques were also used on [uvenlles. AL Lhe age of 13 or 16
he was Laken from hls school on susplclon of uslng drugs, held by Lhe pollce for several days,
prevenLed from sleeplng and Lold LhaL lf he confessed he would be allowed Lo go home. AfLer
succumblng Lo Lhe pressure Lo confess Lo someLhlng he had noL done he was Lrled and
convlcLed Lo llfe lmprlsonmenL.
43
lL was noL unLll years laLer LhaL he was one of many
prlsoners released on resldenLlal pardon afLer Lhe deaLh of Lvan naseem ln 2003.
44

c. A||eged perpetrators
A range of sLaLe offlclals, lncludlng mlllLary personnel, pollce, coasL guard and prlson offlclals,
are alleged Lo have perpeLraLed Lhe LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL reporLed ln Lhe LesLlmonles
collecLed.
1he Lerm Slfaln, whlch refers Lo pollce or defence force offlcers, was used by mosL of Lhe
vlcLlms, many uslng Slfaln and Lhe pollce lnLerchangeably. ln some cases, Lhe vlcLlms refer Lo
lndlvlduals dressed ln mlllLary unlform or ln blue pollce unlform, Lhough Lhere does noL appear
Lo have been a clear separaLlon of duLles or [urlsdlcLlon and as vlcLlms were moved around Lo
dlfferenL faclllLles Lhey were held by boLh mlllLary and pollce offlcers.
4S
lL was Lherefore noL
always posslble for Lhe survlvors Lo deLermlne lf Lhe alleged perpeLraLors are mlllLary
personnel or pollce offlcers or boLh.

39
1Sl-009, p.1.
40
lbld.
41
1Sl-002, 1Sl-003, 1Sl-008, 1Sl-010, 1Sl-013, 1Sl-013, 1Sl-024.
42
1Sl-008, p.2.
43
1Sl-003, p.1-2.
44
1Sl-003, p.9.
43
1Sl-001.

14





#
#
#
CASE STUDY: SILENCING THE PRESS

Abdulla Saeed was a [ournallsL and asslsLanL edlLor ln newspapers and Lelevlslon ln Male. uurlng
Lhe laLe 1990s, he was Laken lnLo cusLody for shorL perlods (4-7 days, and Lhen 17 days, and 20
days) wlLhouL an arresL warranL, Lold noL Lo reporL on parLlcular lssues, and Lhen released.

ln 2000 he was arresLed afLer drugs were planLed ln hls house. Pe was Laken Lo uhoonldhoo
deLenLlon cenLre, and was Lold Lo confess Lo belng a drug dealer. Pe was klcked and beaLen wlLh
a plank on hls back and upper back. Pe was Lhen suspended by Lhe arms by Lwo pollce offlcers
and repeaLedly slammed Lo Lhe ground. 1hls conLlnued every half hour for slx days and slx
nlghLs. Lvery Llme he wenL Lo sleep he was hlL awake.

Cne nlghL durlng Lhls perlod, guards handcuffed hlm Lo a cage conLalnlng a crocodlle. 1hey Lhen
Lhrew a llve chlcken ln Lhe cage, and sald LhaL lf Abdulla dld noL confess Lhey would also Lhrow
hlm ln. 1hey sald Lhey would klll hlm, and say LhaL he had hung hlmself.

Cn Lhe flfLh day, he fell off hls chalr, asleep, and was klcked. Pe losL consclousness and found
hlmself ln Lhe sea ln uhoonldhoo harbour. Pe was Laken ouL of Lhe sea by guards and puL back
on a chalr on Lhe beach, shlverlng. 1he nexL day Lhe guards broughL hls wlfe ln fronL of hlm. She
began Lo cry and Lhey pushed her backwards wlLh a plank of wood, maklng her fall over. Pls wlfe
begged hlm Lo slgn Lhe sLaLemenL, and he agreed Lo do so. Pe slgned Lhe sLaLemenL wlLhouL
havlng read whaL was ln lL.

Abdulla was kepL ln a cell ln uhoonldhoo for Lhree monLhs, and was Lhen moved Lo Maafushl
prlson. 1here he was ln a cell wlLh 104 people, and Lwo LolleLs. Slx monLhs afLer havlng been
arresLed he was Laken Lo a courL, and lmmedlaLely senLenced. Pe had noL had access Lo a lawyer,
and noLhlng was sald ln hls Lrlal. Pe was senLenced Lo 23 years ln [all.

Pe was reLurned Lo Maafushl prlson Lo serve hls senLence. 1here he suffered and wlLnessed
furLher LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL aL Lhe hands of prlson guards. Slfaln punlshed Lhe prlsoners for
mlnor lnfracLlons - one Llme handcufflng all 104 prlsoners from Lhe cell LogeLher and maklng
Lhem run around Lhe prlson yard leadlng Lo varlous ln[urles. Pe saw a prlsoner have hls hands
crushed by an offlcer's booLs sLamplng on Lhem for noL ralslng hls hands aL mornlng prayers. 1he
guards would also Lake prlsoners ouL of Lhelr cells aL nlghL - some prlsoners reLurned saylng LhaL
Lhey had been puL ln a barrel and rolled, oLhers had been beaLen. Pe and oLher prlsoners were
also sub[ecL Lo publlc sLrlp searches once a monLh, lnvolvlng lnvaslve Louchlng.

Abdulla was ln Maafushl prlson when Lhe shooLlng of prlsoners Look place ln 2003 afLer Lhe deaLh
of Lvan naseem. Pe was granLed a pardon ln 2003, buL ln 2003 was arresLed agaln, afLer havlng
more Lhan a gram of heroln planLed on hlm by pollce. ln 2006 he was senLenced Lo llfe
lmprlsonmenL, and held ln Maafushl prlson, where he was puL ln lsolaLlon for over 17 monLhs and
sub[ecLed Lo several severe beaLlngs. Pe was flnally released ln november 2008, afLer hls case
was revlewed and found by Lhe CourL noL Lo be supporLed by evldence.

13

#
d. Context of torture
uurlng Lhe relevanL Llme perlod, Lhere were very few legal safeguards Lo proLecL arresLees and
deLalnees from lll-LreaLmenL. lL appears LhaL LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL were consldered
accepLed forms of lnLerrogaLlon, punlshmenL and conLrol.
>))&1$#
rlor Lo Lhe enacLmenL of Lhe 2008 ConsLlLuLlon, pollce dld noL need a warranL Lo arresL an
lndlvldual Lhey suspecLed of commlLLlng a crlme. Several of Lhe lnLervlewees were Laken from
Lhelr homes, ofLen forclbly.
46
1hey were sub[ecLed Lo physlcal and verbal abuse by Slfaln who
lnLlmldaLed and LhreaLened Lhelr famllles, searched Lhelr homes and ofLen handcuffed and
bllndfolded Lhem.
47
Accordlng Lo one survlvor, whose husband was arresLed from home:
1belt fotce of J0 ot 40 people botqeJ loto oot boose lo tbelt boots. 1bey totoeJ tbe wbole
boose opslJe Jowo, tbtew Jowo tbe beJs, ooJ spoke oboslve expletlves ot os - tbloqs tbot
woolJ be oobeotoble to bomoo tooqoes - lo ftoot of oot smoll cbllJteo ooJ oot bosbooJs
ooJ evetyboJy - tbey wete pollce - 5lfolo. 1bey spoke fool, tow tbloqs... nls wlfe, bls motbet
ooJ bls owo femole slblloqs wete tokeo loslJe tbe boose, ooJ tbey come ooJ temoveJ joot]
vells. l pleoJeJ tbot tbe meo steppeJ oslJe ooJ tbe qltls come ooJ we woolJ toke off oot
vells. 1beo tbey solJ toJoy ls oot yoot Joy, lt ls oot Joy ooJ we wlll Jo wbotevet we woot.
1bete wete femole ooJ mole pollce - botb types wete tbete. 1bete wete mooy 5lfolo lo tbe
toom ooJ jwe wete] sttlppeJ llke tbot to be seeo by tbem. 1bey kept jos] llke tbot ooJ took
pbotos ooJ took movles jvlJeo tecotJloq] ooJ spoke fool tbloqs ot os ooJ betoteJ os - ooJ
wblle be wept ooJ pleoJeJ wltb tbem to wolt o momeot, tbey took blm owoy - tbot wos my
bosbooJ. l om tolkloq oboot bow be wos ottesteJ tbot Joy.
48

MosL of Lhe lndlvlduals were noL Lold of Lhe reasons for Lhelr arresL, and many reporLed belng
held, ofLen ln lsolaLlon, for several days or even weeks before belng quesLloned.
49
Cne of Lhe
men lnLervlewed had been campalgnlng for elecLlon when he was Laken lnLo cusLody. 1hree or
four days afLer belng held:
l oskeJ wby lt wos tbot tbey boJ btooqbt me bete. ne solJ tbey JlJ oot koow. 1bose lo
cbotqe woolJ koow tbot. 5o l sot tbete teoJloq tbe Ootoo. l JlJot koow wbot wos
boppeoloq. 1beo l tbooqbt, tbls wos tbe eoJ of my llfe. l wos totoloq losooe. Not koowloq
wbot ls boppeoloq, o petsoo woolJ qo losooe, woolJot tbey? l sot tbete, oboot 12 Joys
posseJ ooJ l wos oot oskeJ ooy poestloos. 1bey took me oot - oo-ooe evet blt me. l jost sot
tbete. 1beo wbot wos comloq to my mloJ wos, ooe tlme, l weot to tbe zoo lo 5tl looko.
1bete, tbey bove tlqets ooJ Joqs ooJ tbloqs lo coqes - ooJ tbe woy l wos lo tbot ploce, tbete
wos oo Jlffeteoce.
30

Abdulla 8asheed worked ln a cllnlc opposlLe Lhe luahmulaku elecLrlclLy sLaLlon where
demonsLraLlons had Laken place. Pe was arresLed several days afLer Lhe proLesLs and Laken Lo
a deLenLlon faclllLy aL uhoonldhoo, where he was lnlLlally forced Lo slL conLlnuously on a chalr
on Lhe beach for 17 days before belng puL ln an lsolaLlon cell.

46
1Sl-003, 1Sl-008, 1Sl-022, 1Sl-023.
47
1Sl-003, 1Sl-008, 1Sl-016, 1Sl-017, 1Sl-022, 1Sl-023, 1Sl-026.
48
1Sl-026 p.10.
49
1Sl-008, 1Sl-011, 1Sl-012, 1Sl-021.
30
1Sl-016 pp.2-3.

16


Aftet pottloq lo tbe koJoqolbl jlsolotloo cell], to my tecollectloo, lt wos oeotloq J mootbs
wbeo ooe olqbt jl wos] tokeo oot... 1be ttotb ls tbot l stlll Jo oot koow wby l wos ottesteJ.
5tlll Jo oot koow...l boJ poestloos oboot tbe 17 Joys - wby JlJ l bove to lle lo o koJoqolbl
wltboot oo lovestlqotloo fot J mootbs?
31

ln oLher cases, parLlcularly concernlng pollLlcal acLlvlsLs, lndlvlduals were lnlLlally asked Lo go Lo
Lhe local pollce sLaLlon Lo slmply clarlfy a few Lhlngs or answer some quesLlons. 1hey were
Lhen held for days or weeks, someLlmes wlLhouL belng quesLloned aL all, ln an aLLempL Lo
lnLlmldaLe Lhem or prevenL Lhem from campalgnlng or parLlclpaLlng ln elecLlons.
32

?*$&))"'0$."*#0*8#8&$&*$."*
MosL vlcLlms were lnlLlally LorLured or lll-LreaLed durlng lnLerrogaLlon and quesLlonlng, elLher
aL pollce sLaLlons or aL varlous deLenLlon cenLres. MosL of Lhe vlcLlms reporLed belng broughL
Lo local pollce sLaLlons, Slfaln Ce (headquarLers) ln Male and deLenLlon faclllLles on dlfferenL
lslands, ln parLlcular, uhoonldhoo, Caamaadhoo, Plmandhoo, Plmmafushl and Maafushl
prlsons.
ln a few rare lnsLances, lndlvlduals were asked lf Lhey wanLed a lawyer, buL noLably only afLer
Lhey had been deLalned for some Llme and already been LorLured and forced Lo slgn a
confesslonal sLaLemenL.
33
ln many cases, lncludlng Lhe arresL and deLenLlon of several mlnors,
relaLlves were noL lnformed and deLalnees were prohlblLed from conLacLlng relaLlves or a
lawyer.
34

ConvlcLed and non-convlcLed deLalnees were deLalned LogeLher. 1orLure and lll-LreaLmenL
conLlnued ln prlsons and deLenLlon faclllLles, Lyplcally as a form of lnLlmldaLlon and
punlshmenL (see furLher below from page 27).
e. 1ypes of torture reported
1he LesLlmonles descrlbe repeaLed and severe vlolence and abuse of prlsoners.
@&0$.*'1#
MosL of Lhe lnLervlewees Lold of belng beaLen or klcked, or of hearlng or seelng oLhers belng
beaLen. Cne survlvor recalled how he wos lyloq foce Jowo. My stomocb wos oo o ttee toot. lt
wos Jlfflcolt to bteotbe. AoJ l tbooqbt my foce wos blt wltb some boots, os l loy tbete. l felt
tbem jtbooqbt tbey] beot my boJy".
33

AnoLher Lold how he was beaLen:
wltb botoos ooJ booJs. 1bey blt tbe cbest - pocbos - botJ wltb tbelt booJs. wbeo tbey blt,
we woolJ booq oqolost tbe woll. 1bey booJcoffeJ os bebloJ oot bocks. 1bey booJcoffeJ os
ooJ tbeo beot os. 1bey woolJ sometlmes blt os wltb tbelt wooJeo botoos. wltb tbelt botoos,

31
1Sl-012, pp.3-3.
32
1Sl-014, 1Sl-016.
33
1Sl-006, 1Sl-026.
34
1Sl-003, 1Sl-004, 1Sl-009, 1Sl-023.
33
1Sl-021, p.7.
17

tbey beot oo tbe bock, bete lo tbe mlJJle. 1beo tbey klckeJ oot sblo wltb tbelt boots ooJ lt
becomes sote ooJ bleeJs.
36

jw]beo tbey come loslJe tbe joll, eocb ooe of tbem cottles o lotqe stlck tbot comes op to bete
wbeo stooJloq op. 4 feet ot 4Z feet - l coooot soy exoct jslze] -be took tbls stlck ooJ beot me
loslJe tbe cell lo ftoot of oll tbe ctlmlools, wbeo l wos loooceot. jne] beot me so mocb tbot
my wbole boJy wos bloe.
37

...tbe two of tbem, come ooJ botb took my otms llfteJ me ooJ booqeJ me Jowo, llke o sock
loto wblcb yoo ote ttyloq to spoosb sometbloq. 5o l loy booqloq. l JlJ oot pot ooy stteoqtb
eveo wbeo tbey beot me Jowo. 1bey cootlooeJ to Jo tbls ooJ my loslJes felt llke lt wos
Jlsloteqtotloq. l fell Jowo. wbeo l fell Jowo, tbey solJ to toke me ooJ slt me Jowo. 1bey
cootlooeJ to tottote llke tbot evety bolf boot.
38

A number of vlcLlms Lold of repeaLed beaLlngs and klcklng LargeLlng Lhelr back and splne.
39

Cne survlvor recalled how [L]bey beot bowevet tbey coolJ. letbops tbey woolJ mostly woot to
totqet tbe lowet pott jof tbe bock] becoose tbey seem to tottote lo woys tbot woolJ coose tbe
most lojoty to tbe petsoo.
60

1hese LesLlmonles are conslsLenL wlLh Lhe observaLlons of a former prlson offlclal ln a leLLer Lo
Lhe Commandlng Cfflcer of Maafushl !all ln !uly 2003, ralslng concerns abouL Lhe acLlons of
Slfaln aL a place wlLhln Lhe prlson called 'Lhe Workshop'. Pe recounLed LhaL he spoke Lo one
lnmaLe who:
... wos weeploq ooJ solJ tbot be wos beloq beoteo ooJ solJ tbe polo wos lo bls sploe... ne
solJ tbot be coooot eoJote tbe tottote ooJ tbot evety olqbt, be ls tokeo oot ooJ beoteo by
people wbo covet tbelt foces wltb clotbs ooJ tbe beot blm so boJly tbot be becomes
oocooscloos ooJ bos oo cettoloty tbot be woolJ be ollve tbe oext Joy. ne wept ooJ solJ tbot
lt wos bettet to Jle tboo owolt tbot tottote evety olqbt.
61

When he spoke Lo oLher lnmaLes, he sald
tbey oll slmoltooeoosly beqoo to sbow votloos ploces oo tbelt boJy ooJ votloos llmbs wbete
tbey solJ tbey boJ beeo beoteo. Oo some of tbem, tbete wete vlslble slqos of lojotles oo
potts of tbelt boJles. Oo otbets, tbete wete oo vlslble slqos. 1bese people olso oskeJ to be
soveJ ftom tbls ploce.
62

!9.*'#$"#/"/"*3$#$)&&1#
AnoLher common form of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL lnvolved belng Lled or handcuffed Lo
coconuL Lrees. ueLalnees were ofLen lefL for hours or days, unable Lo sleep or use Lhe LolleL,
someLlmes beaLen or covered ln sewage waLer or sugar waLer Lo aLLracL anLs.
63
Cne female
survlvor recalled how she and fellow prlsoners were handcuffed ln such a manner for a long
perlod afLer a flre ln one of Lhe prlsons:

36
1Sl-008, p.2.
37
1Sl-024, p.13
38
1Sl-003, p.3
39
1Sl-001, p.8, 1Sl-022, p.11.
60
1Sl-003, p.3.
61
ASW LeLLer, p.2.
62
ASW LeLLer, p.3.
63
1Sl-001, 1Sl-003, 1Sl-008, 1Sl-013, 1Sl-022.

18


jl wos] booJcoffeJ ot tbe cocooot ttee jfot 4 Joys ooJ 4 olqbts], jtbey] ooly btooqbt tbe
booJcoffs to tbe ftoot Jotloq meol tlmes. wblle booJcoffeJ, tbete wos oo sbowetloq ot
qoloq to tbe tollet... wbeo l wos booJcoffeJ tbete, jtbey] come ooJ spoke wbotevet fool
looqooqe tbot come to tbe tooqoe, beot my bock wltb tbe ookle jboots] .- so llke tbot l wos
to ooe slJe, ooJ tbey beot my leqs olso, tbey beot me bete, oo my otm olso wltb tbe botoo.
64

CLhers reporLed addlLlonal abuse whlle belng resLralned ln Lhls way. Cne young man recalled
how he was Lled Lo a Lree and sprayed aL close range by a pressure gun:
Ooe Joy l tecoll oboot mlJ-Joy...tbey tleJ me to tbot cocooot ttee wltb o plece of clotb l
tblok, ooJ l wos stotk ookeJ except fot o welJloq mosk l wos weotloq ooJ o moo . sptoyeJ
wotet ot me osloq o ptessote qoo. nete ls wbete tbe sklo btoke opeo ooJ become scotteJ llke
tbls.
63

A1&#"6#1$"/B1#0*8#"$%&)#,0.*63-#)&1$)0.*$1##
A sLrlklng feaLure of a number of Lhe LesLlmonles ls Lhe use of sLocks or oLher palnful resLralnLs
for an exLended perlod of Llme. lbrahlm uldl ('8eer') was accused of a murder whlch was laLer
shown Lo have been commlLLed by anoLher person. Powever, ln Lhe lnLerlm, offlclals dld all
Lhey could Lo force hlm Lo confess:
j1bey] pot me lo tbe tbtee-bole stock by plocloq botb my leqs lo tbe two boles ot tbe fot
slJes, plocloq my leqs fot opott ooJ oooble to move. Aftet pottloq me lo tbe stock llke tbot
tbey pot me lo o sloqle booJcoff, pot o cbolo tbtooqb tbe booJcoff, too lt ovet tbe stock ooJ
ottocbeJ lt took o book ottocbeJ to my leq. 1bey tbeo beot me ovet ooJ pot my tlbcoqe
oqolost tbe stock... 1bey woolJ btloq my plote of fooJ ooJ pot lt oo tbe stock ooJ l ttleJ botJ
to eot. wbeo l tty to eot, tbe plote woolJ foll ooto my lop. 1o cleoo me, tbey woolJ tbtow o
bocket of wotet. My booJs wete cboloeJ. My koees jolots wete swolleo. l JlJot koow wbot
wos boppeoloq to my boJy.
66

Pe was lefL ln Lhe sLocks for over a monLh.
=31,&*1."*#
Suspenslon ls o commoo fotm of tottote tbot coo ptoJoce extteme polo, bot wblcb leoves
llttle, lf ooy, vlslble evlJeoce of lojoty".
67
Such meLhods were descrlbed ln a number of
LesLlmonles. lor example, Ahmed Adam was 'mounLed on Lhe angle,' whlch lnvolved hls arms
belng passed backwards Lhrough Lhe verLlcal bars of Lhe venL above Lhe door ln a prlson cell.
1he wrlsLs were Lhen LlghLly handcuffed, wlLh Lhe body lefL dangllng for hours aL a Llme.
68

alesLlnlan hanglng" ls a recognlsed form of LorLure whlch lnvolves blndlng Lhe prlsoner's
hands behlnd hls or her back, ln such a way as Lo ensure Lhe prlsoner wlll lnevlLably fall
forward - puLLlng full body welghL on Lhe shoulders, and lmpalrlng breaLhlng. lL can cause
permanenL ln[ury ln a shorL perlod.
69
Cne of Lhe men lnLervlewed recounLed such LorLure:

64
1Sl-013 p.6.
63
1Sl-003 p.3.
66
1Sl-002 p.3.
67
hyslclans for Puman 8lghLs, lsLanbul roLocol Model Medlcal Currlculum, 'Suspenslon', avallable aL:
hLLp://phrLoolklLs.org/LoolklLs/lsLanbul-proLocol-model-medlcal-currlculum/module-4-LorLure-meLhods-and-Lhelr-
medlcal-consequences/LorLure-meLhods/suspenslon/.
68
lbld.
69
lbld.
19


... jtbey] come lo ooJ pot two sollJlfleJ boqs of cemeot oqolost tbe wloJow. A sbott wblle
lotet, tbey ploceJ o plece of wooJ oo two slJes of tbls wloJow ooJ tbeo pot me oext to tbe
plece of wooJ wltb my bock towotJs jlt] ooJ took my otms tbtooqb lt. Aftet tbot tbey
booJcoffeJ me by tbteoJloq jtbe coffs] lo betweeo tbe bots. 1bey pot ... o tope ooJ pot lt
Jltectly ootslJe ... ooJ jottocbeJ tbe tope] oo o wooJeo plllot ooJ tleJ lt oo my booJcoffs.
Aftet tyloq tbot, tbey polleJ tbose boqs of cemeot ftom ooJet my feet ooJ l wos left booqloq.
5o l loy llke tbot fot o looq tlme ooJ my otms wete potolyseJ ooJ l wos close to becomloq
oocooscloos ... wbeo l solJ l boJ oo ooswet to qlve, tbey beot my sblos 2 ot J tlmes wltb o
looq flot plece of wooJ ooJ solJ - plck blm op ooJ tbtow blm. wbeo tbey plckeJ me op ooJ
tbtew me Jowo, botb my otms wete potolyseJ ooJ wltboot movemeot.
70

C&0)#8)"D*.*'
A number of people reporLed belng LorLured or mlsLreaLed ouLslde Lhe walls of Lhe prlson, on
Lhe beach. ln some cases Lhey were even Lhrown lnLo Lhe sea.
71
Larly ln hls deLenLlon durlng
Lhe 'lnvesLlgaLlon' sLage, laLe aL nlghL, one man was Laken by speedboaL Lo Caamaadhoo from
uhoonldhoo. Pe was Laken Lo a beach and hls hands cuffed LogeLher, when he was llfLed up by
hls armplLs and Lhrown lnLo Lhe sea:
5o tell me wbot l coolJ Jo to floot. l jost sook to tbe bottom. 1be loqooo woolJ be tbe some
os tbe seo. 1be wotet wos too Jeep to stooJ lo. 5o ooywoy, l koew l wos swollowloq seo
wotet. l kept Jtlokloq lt ooJ (tbls ls o vety polofol stoty), l teolly JleJ. wbot l meoo by JleJ ls
tbot tbete ls o stoty oboot jseeloq tbe scoles of jostlce wbeo yoo Jle] - ooywoy, l sow tbe
scoles. ... l Joot koow oftet bow looq tbey took me oot. wbeo l teqoloeJ cooscloosoess,
tbey boJ llfteJ me ooto tbe seo woll ooJ l wos lolJ oo my bock ooJ tbete wos someooe oo
my cbest ooJ tbey wete beotloq me oo botb slJes to btloq me toooJ. At tbe tlme, tbe solt
wotet wos beloq emltteJ.
72

=&;30-#0E31&#0*8#1&;30-#%3+.-.0$."*#
Sexual abuse was reporLed ln a number of cases. Several vlcLlms Lold of belng humlllaLed by
belng forced Lo sLrlp naked:
73

wbot l om soyloq ls tbot, wbeo l boJ to stoy ookeJ, l wos Jeeply opset. l ctleJ too. veo tbeo,
l eoJoteJ. 1bot olqbt too, tbey tottoteJ me o lot. 8ecoose l woolJ oot coofess, tbey polleJ
botb my booJs ooJ leqs opott llke tbls, tleJ me oo botb slJes ooJ JlJ to me wbotevet lt wos
tbey wete to Jo ooJ tottoteJ me o lot. My oose wos bleeJloq. l wos bleeJloq ftom tbe mootb
too. AoJ oo my beoJ too, 2,J,4 ploces wete bleeJloq.... At tbe tlme, botb my booJs wete
polleJ jopott] ooJ tleJ wltb tope to two ttees. My leqs wete olso tleJ wltb tope. l wos stotk
ookeJ.
74

AnoLher survlvor, who was a [ournallsL arresLed and lmprlsoned for llfe on false drug-relaLed
charges, reporLed LhaL aL Maafushl prlson:
. ooce evety mootb, tbete wos tolJloq lo tbe cells. ... jA]boot J0 to 50 5lfolo woolJ come
ooJ wolt ooJet tbe bltooJbo ttee lo tbe opeo oteo ooJ btloq oot oll tbe ptlsooets. Aftet
btloqloq tbem oot, ooe ot o tlme, tbey ote moJe to temove tbelt clotbes. AoJ tbot petsoo ls

70
1Sl-010, p.2.
71
See, eg. 1Sl-003.
72
1Sl-022, p.4.
73
1Sl-001, 1Sl-021, 1Sl-022, 1Sl-026.
74
1Sl-026, p.4.

20


tepolteJ ... to wolk omooq evetyooe, lo ftoot of evetyooe, ookeJ - ooJ qo loslJe o tollet
wblcb ls some Jlstooce owoy. ...
1bey soy beoJ ovet. 5o yoo bove to sbow yoot bock. lt wosot oJepoote lf yoo jost opeoeJ
yoot bottocks ooJ beot ovet. lt wos tepolteJ to opeo jtbe bottocks] wltb botb booJs ooJ
sbow tbem. AoJ tbeo tbey woolJ pot tbelt booJs ooJetoeotb bete - olso tbe ftoot ptlvote
potts. jwe wete] lo o ookeJ stote, tbete woolJ be ootbloq tbot coolJ be stock ooJetoeotb,
wbeo ooe ls ookeJ. 1bete mlqbt be sometbloq lf jooe] wos weotloq ooJetpoots. wbot coo l
soy? 1bey llft tbe testlcles ooJ toocb tbete os well. 1bey cbeck llke tbot. wbot coo ooe Jo?
we boJ obsolotely oo powet.
73

AlLhough he had been sub[ecLed Lo prolonged physlcal LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL durlng hls
deLenLlon, lncludlng beaLlngs and belng Lhrown unconsclous lnLo Lhe sea, Lhe [ournallsL sald
LhaL Lhls LreaLmenL was exLremely palnful for hlm:
uoloq tbls llke tbls - tbls to me wos tbe most opsettloq tboo tottote lo joll. 1bls ls tbe blqqest
tottote l qot. 1bot ls, beloq moJe to wolk omooq oll tbose people, ookeJ. veo lf lt wos oo
ooloboblteJ lslooJ - tbese wete Mosllms - ooJ sevetol booJteJ people - tbete wete 480
people llvloq lo tbe ploce wbete we wete. Amooq oll tbese, tbete wos oo ooe wbo JlJ oot see
os ookeJ. 1betefote, tbls ls o vety blq oct of tottote. l wlll oevet fotqet tbese memotles.
76

AlLhough rape was noL commonly reporLed expllclLly ln Lhe LesLlmonles revlewed, Lhere was
reference Lo one example of rape of a woman by a female offlcer. When a young man would
noL confess Lo LhefL, pollce offlcers broughL hls glrlfrlend Lo Lhe pollce sLaLlon and examlned
her wlLh Lhe sLaLed lnLenLlon of provlng LhaL Lhey had engaged ln exLra-marlLal sex.
j1]bey btooqbt my qltlftleoJ to sbow me. 1bey sboweJ bet to me ooJ solJ tbot lf l JlJ oot
coofess to tbls cose, tbey woolJ oot teleose bet. lt bos beeo ptoveJ tbot botb of yoo boJ
commltteJ zloey [adulLery] lost olqbt. 1betefote, yoo wlll bove to coofess to tbls cose olso.
Aftet soyloq tbot, tbey ... qot ooe of tbe Atbolbo Ce wotkets . to ooJtess bet ooJ losett bet
booJs loto bet voqloo ooJ solJ JlJ yoo oot commlt zloey lost olqbt. 1bey lotlmlJoteJ tbe qltl
ooJ commltteJ ctlmes tbot olqbt. lt wos oo oojost oct. 1bey moJe oo oomottleJ qltl to be
sexoolly oboseJ by oootbet womoo.
77

AnoLher young deLalnee, Zaud Ahmed, who was 13 aL Lhe Llme, was forced Lo waLch anoLher
deLalnee masLurbaLe aL Lhe encouragemenL of some of Lhe prlson guards.
ne JlJ some oosocloble ooJ bottlble tbloqs lo ftoot of me ooJ some of tbe 5lfolo woolJ qet
blm to Jo socb tbloqs. ... jn]e woolJ toke bls owo mole ptlvote potts lo bls booJs ooJ ploy
wltb lt ooJ Jo tbloqs lo ftoot of me - tbose wete tbe bottlble tbloqs be wos Joloq ot tbe tlme.
5ome of tbe qootJs woolJ olso eocootoqe blm.
78

AnoLher deLalnee was forced Lo sLrlp and slL on a baLon, ln an aLLempL Lo humlllaLe hlm and
cause hlm severe paln:
j1]bey pot o botoo stooJloq op, ooJ tbeo tbey tolJ me to toke off my jeoos ooJ slt oo tbe
botoo Jltectly oo my plles. ... wbeo loweteJ, oll tbe ptessote of tbe stlck ls ploceJ oo tbe
plles, to tbe ooos. As o tesolt, eveo lf tbe petsoos feet ote oo tbe qtoooJ, tbete wos oo

73
1Sl-021, pp. 13-17.
76
1Sl-021, p.17.
77
1Sl-008, pp.1-2.
78
1Sl-004, p.4.
21

stteoqtb. ... jl]t felt os tbooqb lt woolJ bteok opeo tbe ooos ooJ tbe effects of lt wos felt os
fot os otoooJ bete - l felt tbot vety ofteo - tbot wos jJooe] evety Joy ot leost ot ooe tlme.
79

AnoLher reporLed slmllar LreaLmenL belng glven Lo a fellow deLalnee, causlng hlm Lo conLracL
LeLanus, leadlng Lo hls deaLh:
5o floolly wbeo woflt JlJ oot coofess, tbey took blm to o cell, pot blm lo tbe stocks ooJ
losetteJ o coo lo bls ooos. l weot to my cell oftet tbe qoot peo wos closeJ ooJ smelt tbe
totteo smell wblcb seemeJ to qet wotse os tlme weot oo. Not koowloq wbete tbe totteo
smell wos comloq l leotot eveotoolly tbot lt wos comloq ftom tbe Jomoqe cooseJ to woflts
bottom. wbot boJ boppeoeJ ls tbot tbe coo boJ cot loto bls bottom ooJ tbe flesb boJ come
ovet lt. lt boJ come oot llke o pompklo. ne wos tbeo tokeo to tbe bospltol lo Mol ooJ tbe
Joctot boJ solJ tbot tbe flesb boJ come oot becoose be boJ beeo moJe to slt oo tbe coo ooJ
be boJ olso coottocteJ tetooos.
80

=3EF&/$."*#$"#*".1&#0*8#1-&&,#8&,).(0$."*
Sleep deprlvaLlon Lhrough Lhe use of loud nolse was also referred Lo. Cne man Lold how All
tbe tlme, tbete wos o lot of oolse tbtooqb tbe soooJ systems. lt wos oot posslble to sleep. 5ooqs
wete ployeJ oo tbe soooJ system ot foll jvolome]. 1bey oseJ o mlctopbooe. 1bot ls to Jlstotb
os. 5o we stoyeJ llke tbot. 1bey stole oot sleep fot ooe mootb.
81

A1&#"6#.1"-0$."*#/&--1#
Many of Lhe deLalnees were kepL ln lsolaLlon cells (kudagolhl) boLh pre and posL Lrlal for
exLended perlods of Llme.
1bot wos tbe koJoqolbl jlsolotloo cell] tbey pot me lo. l wos olooe. Aftet pottloq lo tbe
koJoqolbl, to my tecollectloo, lt wos oeotloq J mootbs wbeo ooe olqbt, lote ot olqbt jl wos]
tokeo oot. 1beo l wos jost lo tbe cell oo my owo. No-ooe oskeJ ooy poestloos ot spoke to me
oboot ooytbloq. l boJ oo wtlst-wotcb. l Joot koow to tell yoo wbot tlme lt wos.
82

G$%&)#6")+1#"6#$")$3)&#
Whlle Lhere was no apparenL llmlL Lo Lhe forms of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL used, many were
qulLe speclflc Lo Lhe lsland envlronmenL, lncludlng leavlng people ouLslde ln Lhe sun or Lhe raln,
coverlng Lhem ln sugar waLer Lo aLLracL anLs and Lylng leaves Lo Lhelr bodles and placlng Lhem
ln a goaL pen. An lndlvldual Lold how:
lltst, tbey kept os lo ftoot of tbe nlmooJboo offlce lo tbe sttooq soo. we wete jost tbtowo lo
ftoot of tbe offlce. At tbe tlme, we wete fostloq. wbeo some of tbe people foloteJ, wbot tbey
JlJ wos stoyeJ ot o Jlstooce ooJ sptoyeJ wotet wltb o wotet bose, ooJ tbloqs llke tbot.
83

More Lhan one also recalled belng covered ln sugar Lo aLLracL anLs: 1bot ls wbeo tbey toke os
ootslJe, tbey woolJ booJcoff os ooJ pot soqot oo os ooJ keep os oo tbe bote qtoooJ. wbeo pot
tbete, oots ooJ tbloqs wlll cllmb oo os, woot tbey?"
84


79
1Sl-024, p.11.
80
1Sl-002, p.3.
81
1Sl-007, pp.1-2.
82
1Sl-012, p.3.
83
1Sl-026, p.2.
84
1Sl-013, p.13, see also 1Sl-022, p.3.

22


CASE STUDY: TORTURE OF A 13 YEAR OLD POLITICAL CRIMINAL

Zaud Ahmed was [usL 13 when he was Laken Lo Lhe pollce sLaLlon afLer eaLlng some llmes from a Lree
belonglng Lo a nelghbour ln around 1980. Pe was kepL ln Lhe pollce sLaLlon overnlghL, and senL Lo
prlson Lhe nexL day. 1he auLhorlLles dld noL lnform hls relaLlves. lor Len or so days he was kepL ln
prlson, wlLhouL belng lnLervlewed, when one day he found a clgareLLe wrapper near hls bed, whlch
had Lhe words Lo a song on lL LhaL he knew, and whlch was crlLlcal of Lhe governmenL. As Lhe youngesL
ln Lhe prlson, Lhe oLher lnmaLes llked Lo hear hlm slng Lhe song, buL he was caughL by a guard and
Laken for lnLerrogaLlon.

Zaud was quesLloned abouL wheLher he had wrlLLen Lhe song and denled lL. Pe was Lhen Laken Lo a
koJo qolbl, or sollLary conflnemenL cell, and was puL lnLo sLocks. 8elng only a chlld, hls legs were Loo
Lhln for Lhe large hole ln Lhe sLocks, so Lhey puL one of hls legs ln Lhe small hole ln Lhe sLocks, and lefL
Lhe oLher leg free. Pe was glven conLalner whlch he was Lold Lo use as a LolleL, whlch was empLled
once a day, and anoLher conLalner for drlnklng waLer. AL Lhe same Llme anoLher prlsoner, who was
older Lhan Zaud, was also belng held nearby ln sLocks. WlLh some of Lhe guards' encouragemenL Lhe
prlsoner would masLurbaLe ln fronL of Zaud. Pe was kepL llke LhaL for abouL Lhree days, released only
Lo defecaLe.

AfLer Lhls he was released and Laken for quesLlonlng agaln, where he conLlnued Lo malnLaln LhaL he
had noL wrlLLen Lhe song. 1hls led Lo an escalaLlon of vlolence - he was beaLen, slapped on Lhe face
and shoved by a number of offlcers for a lengLhy perlod. Zaud malnLalned LhaL he hadn'L wrlLLen Lhe
song - boLh because he hadn'L, and because he'd been Lold by oLher prlsoners LhaL lf he dld admlL Lo lL
he would be [alled for llfe. Pe was, undersLandably, Lerrlfled. Pe was Lhen moved Lo anoLher bulldlng,
where prlsoners were kepL ln plywood cells, and was puL back ln sLocks for anoLher Lhree Lo four days.
A week or so laLer he was Lransferred Lo uhoonldhoo, and Laken dlrecLly Lo an lsolaLlon cell made of
sLeel. Agaln he was puL lnLo sLocks, wlLh a chaln connecLlng hls feeL, and handcuffed. 1hls Llme he was
noL released from Lhe sLock Lo go Lo Lhe LolleL, buL had Lo defecaLe ln hls panLs. Pe was held llke LhaL
for anoLher elghL Lo nlne days. Pe was quesLloned agaln buL conLlnued Lo deny wrlLlng Lhe song, so
was reLurned Lo Lhe sLocks for anoLher Lhree days.

Zaud was Lhen released from Lhe sLocks and Laken by Lwo guards ouLslde Lo where a blg hole had been
dug ln Lhe ground. Cll was poured lnLo Lhe hole, and he was Lhrown ln, face down, and Lold LhaL Lhey
would only Lake hlm ouL lf he confessed. Pe dld, and was made Lo slgn a sLaLemenL. ShorLly
afLerwards, Zaud suffered severe dlsLress afLer Lhlnklng he saw a ghosL, and was Laken Lo hosplLal.

Zaud was evenLually senLenced Lo slx monLhs banlshmenL for wrlLlng and slnglng defamaLory songs
abouL Lhe resldenL. 1o serve hls senLence he was ferrled beLween varlous lslands, and made Lo sLay
wlLh sLrangers, and ln one case ln an empLy huL. Pe was noL allowed conLacL wlLh relaLlves.

8y Lhe Llme he was freed slx monLhs laLer he had been expelled from school, and when he Lrled Lo
enrol ln anoLher school he was Lold LhaL he would noL be accepLed because he was a pollLlcal crlmlnal.

Zaud has glven evldence Lo Lhe resldenLlal Commlsslon on LorLure (see furLher, SecLlon v), buL has noL
had any follow-up. When he Lrled Lo reporL lL Lo Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon he was Lold LhaL a case
so old could noL be lnvesLlgaLed by Lhe Commlsslon. Pe has been Lrylng Lo geL hold of sLaLemenLs
from Lhe Llme from Lhe CourLs buL, Lo daLe, has noL been able Lo obLaln Lhem.

23

CLhers recounLed belng Lled up ln a goaL pen, and belng covered ln leaves whlch goaLs Lhen
clambered over Lhem Lo eaL. lbrahlm uldl says he saw Lhls belng lnfllcLed on anoLher prlsoner:
1bey tle leoves so tbot bls wbole boJy ls coveteJ ooJ ot olqbt, tbey tle blm to tbe feeJloq
pole lo tbe qoot peo. 1beo oll tbe qoots wlll come - tbete ote oboot 280 qoots - ooJ pot tbelt
booves oo woflt to eot tbe leoves.
83

1here were also reporLs of deLalnees havlng Lhe halr or beards forclbly cuL, as well as reporLs
of deLalnees' eyelashes belng cuL off.
86
Cne woman saw her fellow deLalnee's walsL-lengLh
halr belng cuL,
87
and recalled LhaL anoLher Llme she and oLher prlsoners were also sub[ecLed Lo
such LreaLmenL:
1bey took os ootslJe lo tbe mlJJle of tbe olqbt ot otoooJ 11.J0 ot so, btooqbt sclssots, ooJ
tleJ os wltb cllps to tbe bock - tleJ botb oot feet ooJ oot booJs wltb cllps, blloJfolJeJ os ooJ
cot oot bolt. 1bey cot oot bolt, sboveJ oot beotJs ooJ btoke tbe otms of o coople of people.
88

lorclble shavlng was someLlmes accompanled by Lhe use of skln lrrlLanLs, lncludlng chllll sauce:
1bey pot me oo tbe qtoooJ foce op, loy me polleJ op - two 5lfolo oo botb booJs, two 5lfolo
oo botb leqs, tbey steppeJ joo me] wltb tbelt booteJ feet, ooe of tbem slttloq oo my cbest,
tbe petsoo oeot tbe top of my beoJ wos spoottloq oo lt - tbe petsoo bete, llke tbls - belJ me
Jowo ooJ solJ, tlqbt, sbove tbe beotJ. 1beo tbese people boJ btooqbt 6 bottles of cbllll
sooce. lt wos oot oecessotlly to opply to my beotJ, tbey fllckeJ lt ooJ lt weot lo my eyes ooJ
op my oose ooJ moJe me splottet - tbeo tbey pot sooJ oo top jof lt]. wbeo tbey opplleJ tbe
tozot, lt become bloot. . 1bey wete bolJloq me Jowo lo cose tbey slosbeJ me lf l sttoqqleJ.
5o ooywoy, tbey sboveJ me ooJ took me loto tbe seo. Aftet tokloq me oot of tbe seo, tbey
klckeJ me loto tbe cell wltb tbelt boots.
89

1hreaLs of deaLh by securlLy offlcers were also commonly reporLed.
90
ln one noLable case
Abdulla Saeed was handcuffed Lo a cage wlLh a crocodlle ln lL and Lold LhaL lf he dld noL
confess, he would be Lhrown ln. Pe was Lold LhaL eveo lf we keep yoo bete ooJ klll yoo, lt
woolJ oot be koowo - tbot tbey woolJ soy l booq myself. AoJ tbeo tbey solJ tbey wlll klll
me".
91


H&$&*$."*#/"*8.$."*1#
MosL vlcLlms reporLed belng kepL ln very poor condlLlons, ln small and overcrowded cells,
someLlmes wlLhouL a bed or any furnlLure, glven llLLle or no food or waLer and wlLh llmlLed or
no access Lo LolleLs and showers. ueLalnees were rouLlnely prohlblLed from uslng Lhe LolleL, or
someLlmes only allowed Lo use lL once a day. SomeLlmes over a hundred deLalnees only had
access Lo one LolleL and shower.
llfLeen year old Zahld Mohamed was broughL lnLo cusLody several Llmes for 'lnvesLlgaLlon'
because he supporLed arllamenLary candldaLe Mohammed nasheed (Annl). Pe recounLed Lhe
cell he was kepL ln:

83
1Sl-002, p.3.
86
1Sl-026.
87
1Sl-013, p.13.
88
1Sl-026, p.6.
89
1Sl-022, p.9.
90
See, eg. 1Sl-023.
91
1Sl-021, p.8.

24


lt wos o vety smoll cell. l belleve lt wos oo lobomooe, blq ctlme. lt JlJ oot eveo bove 4 feet - 6
feet. 1be foot of os wete kept toqetbet lo o vety ctoel woy. we wete oooble to sleep. we
wete oll kept spoeezeJ tlqbtly. 1bete wete oo beJs. we slept oo tbe qtoooJ. 1bey qove os o
mot. we JlJot qet o plllow.
92

CLher lnLervlewees were handcuffed Lo wlndow bars or Lo oLher deLalnees.
1bey pot two to tbtee ot two of os lo ooe cell - tbe cells ote vety smoll - tbe beJ tbete ls jost
blq eoooqb fot 1 petsoo to lle Jowo. ... we wete kept tbete fot 1 mootb. 1bey booJcoffeJ
jos] to tbe bots of tbe cell...lf tbete ote two, tbey temove tbe booJcoffs jftom tbe bots] ooJ
ttoosfet to tbe booJs. lot exomple, tbey booJcoff [my] ooJ [anoLher prlsoner's] booJs
toqetbet - ooJ jtemolo] coffeJ, eveo to eot, to sbowet ot to Jo ooytbloq.
93

1here were also reporLs of lnsecL and rodenL lnfesLaLlons.
j1]bete wete o lot of tots tbete. uotloq tbe Joys l speot oo tbe floot lo tbot ploce, oo tbe
olqbt of tbe J9tb Joy, wblle l wos lyloq Jowo jto sleep] - l coolJ oot sleep tbeo, l coolJ oot
sleep 15 mlootes Jotloq 24 boots tbeo - wbeo l JozeJ, o tot jompeJ oo my foce ooJ l coolJ
oot belp scteomloq - l jompeJ op ooJ tbe tot too oot, so l koew tbot o lot of tots woolJ come
loslJe tbete.
94

4&6310-#$"#,)"(.8&#+&8./0-#$)&0$+&*$#
Some of Lhe lndlvlduals lnLervlewed reporLed belng able Lo see a docLor whlle ln deLenLlon,
and Lhey recelved varylng levels of care, Lhough mosLly Lhey were [usL provlded wlLh palnklllers
or anLl-lnflammaLory medlcaLlon.
93
Serlous ln[urles or complalnLs were largely lgnored and
mosL deLalnees were noL granLed access Lo medlcal asslsLance when Lhey requesLed lL.
96

My foce wos swolleo tbls blq...my eye coolJ oot be opeoeJ. l solJ l oeeJeJ to see tbe Joctot
otqeotly. l JlJot jqet to] see o Joctot tbot olqbt, tbe oext Joy - ooJ J Joys posseJ. l coolJ
oot opeo my eye. l coolJ opeo lt tbls mocb, Joe to tbe swellloq. AoJ becoose my koees ooJ
ploces wete beoteo, l coolJot wolk. ltom tbot polot, l become slck. l wos oJmltteJ ot tbe
bospltol tbete. l wos btooqbt to Mol oftet 1 mootb. 1be ploces l wos beoteo oo woot be
seeo, woolJ tbey. 1be ploces l wos beoteo wltb tbe botoos wete cleotly vlslble jbefote]. ...
wbeo l lookeJ ot tbem myself, l woolJ weep. wbeo tbey beot wltb tbe flexlble botoo, tbete
woolJ be teJ jwelts]. 1bese lojotles boJ qooe wbeo l wos btooqbt to Mol to see tbe
Joctot.
97

Cne vlcLlm Lold of a medlcal offlcer parLlclpaLlng ln hls abuse:
1beo l oskeJ fot wbot teosoo l wos beloq kept tbete. AoJ wbeo jtbey] beot me - l fotqet tbe
oome of tbe petsoo wbo beot me - tbe petsoo wbo wos ftom meJlcol wbo wos opplyloq tbe
Jtessloq oo me olso pottlclpoteJ lo tbot tottote - tbeo tbey took me tbot Joy ooJ solJ tbete
ls oo cose oqolost yoo. oo ollow fot tbe meJlcloe to be opplleJ ooJ wbeo yoot jlojotles]
beol, we wlll toke yoo.
98


92
1Sl-009, p.2.
93
1Sl-013 pp.6-7.
94
1Sl-011 p.3-6.
93
1Sl-001, 1Sl-002, 1Sl-003, 1Sl-004, 1Sl-011, 1Sl-013, 1Sl-014, 1Sl-013, 1Sl-024.
96
1Sl-001, 1Sl-021, 1Sl-024.
97
1Sl-021 p.23.
98
1Sl-024 p.3.
23

<)"-"*'&8#8&$&*$."*#D.$%"3$#F38./.0-#1/)3$.*9#
1he ma[orlLy of lnLervlewees reporLed belng held for days or weeks wlLhouL belng formally
charged or released, and for monLhs or years before belng broughL before a courL and
senLenced, all Lhe Llme wlLhouL access Lo a lawyer. All deLalnees were kepL LogeLher ln Lhe
varlous deLenLlon faclllLles, regardless of wheLher Lhey had been convlcLed yeL or noL.
99
1hese
facLors ln Lhemselves led Lo paln and sufferlng by Lhe vlcLlms. As one man sald:
1bey JlJ oot seoJ to o coott beotloq. My polot ls tbot lf someooe ls occoseJ of sometbloq, lt
sboolJ be lovestlqoteJ. lf lt bos to be lookeJ loto by pottloq lo costoJy, tbeo lt sboolJ stlll be
Jooe. nowevet, l tblok tbete sboolJ be oo opptoptlote tlme-ftome fot lt. l tblok lt wos lo tbe
coostltotloo eveo tbeo, tbot lf tbe tlme-ftome ls to be exteoJeJ, o coott otJet - jtbey] oevet
took me to coott, ooJ oo-ooe come ooJ tolJ me tbot jcostoJy] boJ beeo exteoJeJ.
100

Cne woman who recounLed her sLory was [usL 14 when she admlLLed Lo drugs charges and was
deLalned ln Caamaadhoo and Maafushl [alls pendlng senLenclng. She was rouLlnely LorLured
for over elghL monLhs before belng senLenced Lo house arresL because she was Loo young Lo
be senL Lo prlson.
101

1hose lndlvlduals who were senLenced dld noL go lnLo deLall abouL Lhe naLure or process of
Lhelr Lrlals, mosL slmply Lold of belng senLenced.
1bete wos oo ptosecotloo. 1bey jost teoJ tbe stotemeot ooJ seoteoceJ. 1bots tbe eoJ. 1be
petsoo jost lookeJ ot o book ooJ teoJ lt. 5o l wos tokeo to Moofosbl. 1be seoteoce come fot
25 yeots lo joll.
102

f. Deaths |n custody
As dlscussed above, Lhe deaLh of Lvan naseem ln cusLody ln 2003 as a resulL of ln[urles
susLalned from LorLure was a Llpplng polnL ln Lhe Maldlves and Lhe caLalysL for ma[or changes
ln Lhe counLry. Pls moLher was able Lo see hls body ln Lhe hosplLal and she saw Lhe marks on
LorLure hls body.
1be two ootses ooJ tbe two 5lfolo took bolJ of tbe clotb to stop me ftom tokloq lt off. 8ot l
polleJ tbe clotb off by fotce. l wos oble to toke lt off op to jbls] cbest. wbeo l moooqeJ to
toke lt off, l coolJ see tbe jslqos] of tbe tottote. 1be slqos jof tottote] oo bls otms, ooJ ot tbot
polot l weot ootslJe scteomloq...wbot l coo soy ls tbot tbey wete lojotles ftom beloq beoteo.
A lot of tottote wos lofllcteJ. 1be koockles of tbe booJs wete olso vlslble. 1be jlojoty] oo bls
sboolJet wos olso vlslble.
103

Powever, some of Lhose lnLervlewed referred Lo furLher deaLhs ln cusLody. Cne vlcLlm, who
had been held ln Caamadhoo for Lwelve years, recounLed Lhe deaLh of slx young people of
whlch he was aware as Lhe resulL of LorLure or lll-LreaLmenL.
104

1here were also reporLs of deLalnees who aLLempLed sulclde because Lhey could no longer
bear Lhe LorLure lnfllcLed upon Lhem. Such an aLLempL was Lhe Lrlgger for furLher lnvesLlgaLlon

99
See, eg. 1Sl-021, p.10.
100
1Sl-011, p.3.
101
1Sl-013, p.4.
102
1Sl-021 p.10. See also 1Sl-014, p.6.
103
1Sl-023 ,p.2
104
1Sl-002, pp. 3, 7-8. See also 1Sl-022, p.11.

26


by a prlson offlclal who wroLe Lo hls superlor ln !uly 2003 abouL reporLs of Lhe use of LorLure ln
Maafushl prlson.
ne boJ o booJoqe otoooJ bls beoJ. l oskeJ tbls petsoo...wby be boJ beeo beotloq blmself
wltb tbe booJcoffs to klll blmself. wbeo l oskeJ tbls, some of tbe Jefeoce fotce petsoooel
solJ tbot wbeo be boJ tepoesteJ to qo to tbe tollet, be wos olloweJ to qo to tbe tollet ooJ
boJ foooJ some btokeo qloss somewbete ooJ slosbeJ bls beoJ wltb lt...ne solJ tbot be JlJ lt
becoose be ls oooble to eoJote tbe tottote be ls beloq sobjecteJ to by Jefeoce fotce
petsoooel.
103

AnoLher former prlsoner recounLed seelng one of hls fellow prlsoners aLLempLed Lo commlL
sulclde ln fronL of hlm, durlng a perlod of abuse:
we colleJ blm Noooee Ayyo. ne coolJ oot eoJote tbe tottote lofllcteJ oo blm ooJ commltteJ
solclJe. lo ftoot of me - os l sot, lo o potk tbete wete tbese bottles tbot wete plooteJ loto
jtbe qtoooJ] oboot tbls slze, tbete wos o smoll pott vlslble ot tbe top. ne polleJ oot o bottle
ftom tbete ooJ btoke lt oo o ttee. wbeo l lookeJ toooJ oo beotloq tbe jqloss] bteok, l sow
wltb my eyes, be stock lt loto bls owo stomocb J tlmes, ooJ becoose lt woolJ oot qo lo, ttleJ
to stlck lt loto bls beoJ, be ttleJ to stlck lt loto bls foce too.
106

g. keasons for torture
1he LesLlmonles show LhaL LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL were frequenLly used Lo exLorL a
confesslon, ellclL lnformaLlon or lnLlmldaLe Lhe vlcLlm. Cnce an lndlvldual had been senLenced,
LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL conLlnued wlLh Lhe purpose of punlshlng and asserLlng conLrol over
Lhe prlsoners.
I")/&8#/"*6&11."*1#
vlcLlms reporLed belng LorLured ln an aLLempL Lo geL Lhem Lo confess Lo a crlme. ln many
cases, confesslon appeared Lo be Lhe only form of 'evldence' submlLLed and relled upon ln
prosecuLlon. lrom Lhe descrlpLlons of Lhe lnLerrogaLlon, Lrlal and senLenclng process, Lhere
seems Lo have been an almosL excluslve and unquesLlonlng rellance on confesslons as a means
of provlng gullL and closlng a case.
lbrahlm uldl was accused of murder.
jne] come ovet, pot bls booJ fltmly oo my cbest ooJ solJ cblckeos ote slooqbteteJ oftet
qlvloq wotet. 1oolqbt ls tbe olqbt we ote qoloq to qet yoo to oJmlt klllloq nowwo
MobomeJ. 5oJJeoly, tbey booJcoffeJ me bebloJ my bock. 1bey tleJ o tope tbot wos
comloq Jowo ftom tbe ttee oo my booJcoffs ooJ oboot foot people polleJ me op oboot 6
feet. Aftet llftloq me op, tbey tleJ tbe tope to o ttee some Jlstooce owoy.
107

A man who was accused of a sLrlng of LhefLs sald:

jl wos] moJe to slt oo o wooJeo cbolt, booJcoffeJ bebloJ my bock, tleJ op wltb tbe cbolt,
moJe to beoJ ovet ooJ beot oo my lowet bock wltb wooJeo botoos. 1bey ttleJ to moke me
coofess oftet beotloq me...wbeo lt wos oo looqet posslble to eoJote tbe poolsbmeot, l

103
ASW LeLLer, p.2.
106
1Sl-024, p.10
107
1Sl-002, p.2.
27

coofesseJ tbot l weot. 1beo tbey flolsbeJ tokloq stotemeots llke tbot ooJ flolsbeJ tbe
lovestlqotloo fot tbot Joy. Aftet tbot, be solJ tbot tbe otJet boJ come ftom tbe blqbest level
to qet o coofessloo lo wbotevet woy lt wos posslble ....
108

All and hls wlfe were accused of praylng ln an unauLhorlsed prayer group and he was
evenLually charged wlLh Lerrorlsm.
AoJ oqolo, l tblok tbete wete oboot seveo ot so people. 1bey eveo beot jme] wltb tbelt boots.
1bey took me ootslJe ooJ booJcoffeJ me. wltb tbelt boots, tbey beot me oo tbe tblqbs, oo
tbe bock, oo my slJes, oo my beoJ ooJ beot me oll ovet jtbe boJy]. wblle tbey wete beotloq
me, l wos weotloq o sotooq. 1bey temoveJ tbe sotooq l wos weotloq. AoJ becoose l woolJ
oot coofess, tbey tleJ o tope to my booJs llke tbls. 1bey tleJ tbe tope, tlqbteoeJ lt ooJ kept
my booJs polleJ. 1beo tbey solJ lf l JlJ oot coofess, tbey woolJ klll me toJoy. l solJ lt wos oot
posslble fot me to coofess to tbls. l wos oot someooe wbo wooteJ to coofess to tbls. 1beo
tbey solJ tbey boJ olso btooqbt my wlfe. Not ooly yoot wlfe, we wlll btloq yoot cbllJteo too. l
solJ l JlJ oot cote wbot tbey JlJ, lt wos oot posslble fot me to soy ooytbloq oboot tbot.
109

1hlrLeen year old Zaud Ahmed was accused of wrlLlng a song LhaL was defamaLory Lowards Lhe
resldenL Cayoom.
1bey oocboloeJ me ooJ temoveJ me ftom tbe stock ooJ took me owoy. wbeo we qot tbete -
tbete wos o blq bole Joq jlo tbe qtoooJ] oboot 6 feet looq ooJ 2 feet wlJe. Oo tbot Joy, lo
tbe bottom of tbls bole wos spteoJ o plece of llooleom bot lt wos oot socb o Jeep bole. lt wos
bole lotqe eoooqb to pot o cofflo ooJ tbete wos tbls llooleom ot tbe bottom. A sbott wblle
lotet tbls petsoo ottlves cottyloq o cootoloet...lt boJ block oll lo lt. 1be oll wos pooteJ ooto
tbot coovos. Aftet tbot, tbey tbtew me foce Jowo loto tbe bole. 1beo tbey solJ to me tbot
tbey wlll toke me oot of tbete wbeo l coofess.
110

?*$.+.80$."*#
ollLlcal acLlvlsLs and [ournallsLs were rouLlnely lnLlmldaLed by Lhe pollce. !ournallsL Abdulla
Saeed was frequenLly harassed by Lhe governmenL and LhreaLened noL Lo reporL cerLaln
sLorles. Pe was Laken lnLo pollce cusLody on several occaslons and lnLlmldaLed. When he
conLlnued Lo dlsregard governmenL orders, pollce broughL fabrlcaLed drugs charges agalnsL
hlm.
111
Ahmed !azeel was pursued by pollce near a demonsLraLlon:
A lot of 5lfolo otmeJ wltb stlcks, botoos ooJ wolst-belts ooJ socb tbloqs ooJ cbotqeJ ot o lot
of people. l wos oot someooe wbo boJ seeo ooytbloq llke tbls befote. 5o l wos vety scoteJ
ooJ beqoo to too. 1bey cbotqeJ sbootloq oll kloJs of obsceoltles tbot come to tbelt tooqoe -
tbot tbey wlll klll, slooqbtet. AoJ becoose o qtoop of well-bollt people beotloq stlcks ooJ oll
sotts, sbootloq looqooqe tbot ls oot ootmolly oseJ beqoo cbotqloq, l olso too ot tbot
momeot. 5o l kept oo toooloq ooJ wbeo l teocbeJ tbe motket, l temembet beloq blt oo tbe
beoJ wltb o stlck. l booqeJ loto o oeotby Jbool jboot] ooJ fell loto tbe seo. l wos flsbeJ oot of
tbe wotet wltb o flsbloq oet oseJ to cotcb yellow flo tooo ooJ pot oo o Jbool ooJ jtbey] ttleJ
to pot pettol oo me ooJ set me ollqbt. . 1bey eveo sttock o motcb ftom o motcbbox ooJ
tbtew lt. wltb tbe qtoce of CoJ, lt JlJ oot lqolte.
112


108
1Sl-008, pp.1-2.
109
1Sl-026, pp.3-4.
110
1Sl-004, p.7.
111
1Sl-021, p.6.
112
1Sl-001, p.1.

28


ln anoLher parLlcularly noLable case, Marlyam Manlke, Lhe moLher Lvan naseem, who dled ln
pollce cusLody as a resulL of ln[urles susLalned from LorLure, was lnLlmldaLed and LorLured by
securlLy servlces personnel afLer she publlcly revealed Lhe facLs of her son's deaLh. As
descrlbed above, Lhe lncldenL had become wldely known and sparked proLesLs and unresL ln
Lhe Maldlves. Marlyam was Laken lnLo cusLody followlng Lhe proLesLs.
wblle l stooJ tbete jootslJe my boose], 2 boqe boses foll of people come olooq. l wos jost
stooJ ot my Joot ooJ jtbey solJ] - tbete ls elboo,
113
tbete ls elboo - elboo sboolJ olso be
tokeo owoy ooJ soyloq tbot, tbey oll jompeJ off loJlsctlmlootely, people bolJloq stlcks ftom
mops, plostlc plploq ooJ stlcks ooJ oll sotts of tbloqs - people jompeJ off ftom botb boses.
1bey jompeJ off ooJ come ooJ beqoo beotloq jme] - wbeo tbey beqoo to beot jme] my
motbet wos olso tbete. My motbet wos o beott potleot - tbot opsets me o lot. l wlll oevet
fotqlve ooy of tbem fot tbot. 1bey beot me lo ftoot of my motbet.
114

She was Laken Lo Mnul headquarLers and bruLally beaLen and klcked. A Slfaln offlcer LaunLed
her by saylng LhaL Lhe handcuffs he was puLLlng on her were Lhe same ones LhaL Lvan had
worn. Marlyam Lhen spenL almosL Lwo monLhs ln prlson where she was LorLured and harassed
by Slfaln, some of whom had been lnvolved ln Lhe deaLh of her son.
<3*.1%+&*$#"6#,).1"*&)1#
ln prlson, convlcLed deLalnees conLlnued Lo face arblLrary abuse and punlshmenL. SomeLlmes
LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL were meLed ouL Lo 'punlsh' prlsoners for dlsobedlence, oLher Llmes
abuse was carrled ouL slmply as a maLLer of pracLlce.
1wo vlcLlms Lold of belng abused for complalnlng abouL Lhe food LhaL Lhey recelved.
113
Cne of
Lhem was only 13 or 14 aL Lhe Llme:
Aftet beloq seoteoceJ, ooe olqbt l JlJot woot to eot ooJ wbeo tbey btooqbt tbe fooJ l tbtew
lt oot of bots jof tbe cell]. wbeo l JlJ tbls, tbey took me oot ooJ otJeteJ me to cleoo lt op....
wbeo l tefoseJ to cleoo op, l wos tokeo to tbe koJoqolbl jlsolotloo cell] ooJ Jotloq tbe Joys l
wos kept tbete, l wos tottoteJ o lot. wbeo tbey toke me oot ooJ l teslst, tbey booJcoff me
wltb my booJs bebloJ my bock ooJ beot me. 1bey pot me lo o wbeelbottow ooJ toke me to
tbe seo ooJ tbtow me lo ooJ l woolJ swollow solt wotet - l qet btolseJ lo ploces, os tbey
booJcoff me lo tbe olqbt ooJ toke me wbeo lt ls Jotk - l Joot koow wbot tlme exoctly.
116

ueLalnees were also sub[ecLed Lo collecLlve punlshmenLs. Cne woman who was lnLervlewed
recalled LhaL, as a resulL of a flre LhaL had been sLarLed aL Lhe prlson, all of Lhe prlsoners were
punlshed.
8ecoose of tbot, some people wete kept jloslJe] ooJ tbe test wete kept booJcoffeJ to ttees.
lot foot Joys ooJ foot olqbts, we wete booJcoffeJ to cocooot ttees, oeot tbe beocb...wbeo l
wos booJcoffeJ tbete, jtbey] come ooJ spoke wbotevet fool looqooqe tbot come to tbe
tooqoe, beot my bock wltb tbe ookle jboots]...so llke tbot l wos to ooe slJe, ooJ tbey beot my
leqs olso, tbey beot me bete, oo my otm olso wltb tbe botoo. 1be ploces tbey beot jme] wltb

113
1ranslaLor's noLe: Cender neuLral word ln uhlvehl Lo mean hlm/her/LhaL person. very dlsrespecLful, bad
language LhaL ls soclally unaccepLable.
114
1Sl-023, p.7.
113
1Sl-003, 1Sl-024.
116
1Sl-003, p.4.
29

tbe botoo ote, bete oeot tbe sboolJet, ooJ tbey olso beot tbe tblqbs ooJ tbeo beoteo wltb
tbe ookle jboots] bebloJ.
117

rlsoners were also punlshed by belng Laken Lo whaL Lhe Slfaln called tbe tooqe or tbe
wotksbop". 1he same woman recalled how she was Laken Lhere frequenLly:

1beo occoslooolly, tbey toke os oot ooce evety week ot petbops ooce evety J Joys to o tbloq
colleJ tbe tooqe - tbey colleJ lt tooqe- fot tbem to sotlsfy tbemselves, tbey toke oot ooJ
tottote jpeople]... ju]soolly, tbey beot oo tbe bock. wbeo tbey took os oot to tbe tooqe,
sometlmes, tbey booJcoff os to tbe ttee wltb booJs to tbe ftoot. Otbet people woolJ be
booJcoffeJ wltb tbe booJs bebloJ tbelt bocks. ... 5o tbey toke os to tbe tooqe ooJ jlofllct]
tottote llke tbot - ooJ lf yoo Joot Jo wbot tbey soy, wltb tbe botoo . fot exomple, ot tbe
beocb, lt woolJ be sbotp lf tbete ote cotols ooJ tbey mlqbt osk to Jo Jlps oo tbe cotol, wltb
tbe flsts, wbotevet boppeos, lts oot posslble to Jo Jlps, so wbeo yoo coot, tbey beot wltb
tbelt boots ooJ botoos. 1beo tbey moke os Jo slJe-toll. wbeo we Jo slJe-toll, tbot ls o
slqolflcoot tottote.
118


1hese LesLlmonles are corroboraLed by Lhe reporL made by LleuLenanL Mohamed Aswan Lo Lhe
Commandlng Cfflcer of Maafushl prlson ln !uly 2003 referred Lo above. Pe dlscovered 'Lhe
range' afLer belng Lold LhaL a prlsoner Lhere had aLLempLed sulclde Lhere:

l wos olso tolJ tbot tbe people wbo wete btooqbt oot to tbe wotksbop wete tbose wbo boJ
JlsobeyeJ ooJ btokeo sevetol toles of tbe joll, ooJ tbe otJet to btloq tbem oot ooJ to keep
tbem booJcoffeJ ooJet tbe sopetvlsloo of tbe Jefeoce petsoooel wos qlveo by tbe offlcet lo
cbotqe. ... leople...spoke of beloq beoteo wltb boots ooJ beloq pot lo tbe wotet took ooJ
beoteo oo tbe ootslJe ooJ beloq moJe to too otoooJ tbe tooqe ooJ otJeteJ ooJ moJe to
stooJ lo votloos posltloos. AoJ lo tbls qtoop olso, some people tepotteJ beloq tokeo oot ot
mlJolqbt ooJ otbet Joys eotly lo tbe eveoloq, beoteo ooJ tottoteJ by people wbose foces ote
coveteJ wltb clotb ooJ pot bock loslJe.
119


1he reporL ouLllned lnformaLlon Lhe LleuLenanL had obLalned from members of Lhe Slfaln unlL.
1hey referred Lo paLLerns of LorLure whlch had been carrled ouL ln Maafushl [all prlor Lo Lhe
lnvolvemenL of Lhe CorrecLlons ueparLmenL ln Lhe runnlng of Lhe prlson Lwo years prevlously,
and whlch were reLurnlng. Accordlng Lo hls reporL, when offlclals wlshed Lo punlsh prlsoners
(for varlous reasons, lncludlng for dlsclpllnary reasons and personal reasons) commandlng
offlcers would Lell Lhelr subordlnaLes Lo Lake Lhem Lo Lhe 'beach', whlch was undersLood by all
as an order Lo glve Lhem whaLever punlshmenL Lhey saw flL. 1hey would be Laken Lo an area
near Lhe [eLLy by members of Lhe Culck 8eacLlon 1askforce under Lhe supervlslon of Lhe
securlLy person ln charge, where Lhey would be kepL, awake, for a mlnlmum of four days and
someLlmes a week. 1he punlshmenLs meLed ouL lncluded handcufflng people LogeLher ln large
groups and maklng Lhem run and roll around, beaLlng Lhem wlLh sLlcks, hlLLlng Lhem, maklng
Lhem wresLle, maklng Lhem llck booLs, and noL belng allowed Lo sleep. Accordlng Lo hls reporL,
oo some occosloos, people wete blt so botJ tbot tbey boJ lost cooscloosoess ooJ boJ beeo
tecoveteJ by opplyloq wotet".
120


117
1Sl-013, p.6.
118
1Sl-013, p.9.
119
ASW LeLLer, p.2.
120
ASW leLLer, p.2.

30





h. Consequences for v|ct|ms
1he lll-LreaLmenL and LorLure lnfllcLed on Lhe lndlvlduals lnLervlewed, and Lhe effecLs of long
perlods of deLenLlon, has had slgnlflcanL adverse lmpacLs on many. 1hese lnclude chronlc
physlcal ln[urles, resulLlng ln some cases ln an lnablllLy Lo work, and psychologlcal problems.
lor Lhose who were arresLed and deLalned aL a young age, Lhe Llme spenL ln prlson or Lhe
sLlgma aLLached Lo havlng been arresLed and deLalned meanL LhaL Lhey were unable Lo
compleLe Lhelr educaLlon. 1he deLenLlon and lll-LreaLmenL had furLher lmpacLs on famlly
members - boLh durlng Lhe perlod of deLenLlon, when Lhey were lefL wlLhouL supporL, and ln
coplng wlLh Lhe ln[urles suffered by Lhelr relaLlves on Lhelr release.

CASE STUDY: TORTURE AS COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT

AlshaLh (noL her real name) was 14 when she was Laken Lo Caamaadhoo [all on pendlng drugs charges.
Around slx monLhs laLer she was Laken Lo courL. AbouL elghL or nlne monLhs laLer she was senLenced.
8ecause she was noL yeL 16 and could noL be senL Lo [all she was senLenced Lo house arresL. She had
been held ln Caamaadhoo [all unLll LhaL Llme, however, and was reLurned for a furLher four monLhs.

Whlle she was awalLlng senLenclng Lhere was a rloL aL Caamaadhoo, and Lhe prlson was burned. 1haL
nlghL, Lhe prlsoners were Laken ouLslde and beaLen. 1he nexL mornlng Lhey were handcuffed Lo
coconuL Lrees, for four days and four nlghLs, ln Lhe sun and Lhe raln. uurlng Lhls Llme guards used
crude language Lo her, klcked her and beaL her wlLh baLons.

AfLer four days Lhey Look AlshaLh Lo a sollLary conflnemenL cell and puL anoLher person ln Lhe cell.
1hey handcuffed Lhe Lwo LogeLher, and Lhey remalned handcuffed for Lhe nexL monLh - even Lo eaL,
sleep, shower and go Lo Lhe LolleL.

Cnce every week or so she would be Laken ouL wlLh oLher prlsoners Lo whaL was descrlbed as 'Lhe
range'. 1hey were klcked, and made Lo do Lhlngs llke lle on Lhelr flsLs and do slde-rolls on Lhe beach,
whlch was covered ln sharp coral. Cne nlghL aL mldnlghL she was Laken Lo Lhe [all's goaL pen and had
leaves Lled Lo her, for Lhe goaLs Lo eaL off her body. She was lefL Lhere for 10 Lo 13 mlnuLes. AfLer
Laklng her ouL Lhey saL her on a chalr on Lhe beach wlLh her hands cuffed behlnd her back and poured
sewage waLer over her. LlghL or nlne oLher female prlsoners suffered Lhe same LreaLmenL LhaL nlghL.
She saw a fellow prlsoner have her long halr cuL off whlle she was on Lhe beach.

lrom Caamaadhoo she was Lransferred Lo Maafushl, and LorLure conLlnued Lo be lnfllcLed. lf one
person upseL Lhe guards everybody was punlshed. SomeLlmes Lhe prlsoners were made Lo cllmb a
funa Lree, and were handcuffed Lo branches, wlLh Lhelr feeL barely Louchlng Lhe ground.

When she was released on house arresL AlshaLh lnformed Lhe ueparLmenL of CorrecLlons abouL her
LreaLmenL, buL she dld noL recelve a reply.

31

J"*'#$&)+#.*F3)9K%0)+

Many vlcLlms conLlnue Lo suffer lasLlng physlcal and psychologlcal harm as a resulL of ln[urles
caused by LorLure. Cngolng physlcal ln[ures reporLed lncluded nerve problems,
121
weak [olnLs,
dlscomforL from bones LhaL were broken,
122
and ear problems.
123


Cne of Lhose lnLervlewed was Lhe wlfe of a Leacher who was arresLed on pollLlcal charges, held
ln a [all, and Lhen banlshed Lo a remoLe aLoll for Lhree years. Cn hls reLurn from banlshmenL,
she sald LhaL he was very lll. When she asked wheLher he had been mlsLreaLed:

ne tolJ me tbot be wos beoteo otoooJ bls blps, beoteo oo bls beoJ, beoteo oo bls bock ooJ
be olwoys tolkeJ oboot bovloq qteot polo otoooJ bls blps. ne coooot qet op oftet slttloq
Jowo oo o ploce. ne woolJ qet op wltb qteot Jlfflcolty. 8ecoose of tbe polo lo bls blps ooJ
tbe jtesoltloq] lock of stteoqtb, wbeo be slts Jowo oo ploces, be slts Jowo teolly beovlly. ne
coooot slt Jowo ptopetly. lt tokes o looq tlme, to lowet blmself Jowo slowly. wbeo be lles
Jowo lo beJ, lt tokes o looq tlme fot blm to qet op. Most of tbe tlme, l belp blm op - wbeo be
ls oooble to qet op. 5o llke tbot, oftet becomloq mote ooJ mote lll, be become vety lll
teceotly. wbeo be wos btooqbt bock lt wos vety Jlfflcolt fot blm to wolk. wbeo be qoes ooy
Jlstooce, be woolJ bolJ ooto tbe woll ooJ wbeo be wolks loto tbe boose, be woolJ bolJ oo. lt
wos vety Jlfflcolt fot blm toke bls sllppets off os well, eveo wbeo be wos btooqbt bock.
124


1he ln[urles suffered have ln some cases lmpacLed on Lhe vlcLlms' ablllLy Lo work.
123
lor one,
hls deLenLlon robbed hlm of hls educaLlon, whlle Lhe LorLure lnfllcLed on hlm meanL LhaL he
was released unflL for manual work:

wbot l woot to soy ls tbot wblle l wos stoJyloq ooJ ot o vety yoooq oqe, l wos tokeo ooJ
tottoteJ ooJ wos lo joll fot foot yeots. 1oJoy l bove qot to tbls stote - l om oot pbyslcolly vety
flt ooJ l om oot os flt os o ootmol petsoo. 8ecoose l boJ ooJetqooe cooslJetoble tottote,
Jotloq toloy weotbet, potts of my boJy ocbe. 1be Jlscomfott of tbot tottote temolos lo my
boJy. As tbe Joys qo by, l feel lt. 1bot ls wbot l ootlce.
126


CLhers referred Lo psychologlcal scars resulLlng from Lhelr experlences. Cne man, who was
arresLed for someLhlng he says he had no connecLlon wlLh, and made Lo slL ln a chalr on Lhe
beach for 17 days sLralghL, Lhen placed ln an lsolaLlon cell for Lhree monLhs, sald:

j1]o be tokeo lote ot olqbt llke tbot, tbot memoty eveo wbeo l tolk llke tbls (l Jo oot tolk
oboot tbls wltb people) - lt Joes ootbloq bot moke me ooqty. 1bot ls becoose l boJ tecelveJ
socb tottote wltboot jostlce. l stlll Joot koow, eveo oftet Moomooo boJ qooe ftom powet, l
stlll Jo oot koow wby l wos ottesteJ. 1bete wos oo coott beotloq. No loJepeoJeot
lovestlqotloo took ploce. l wos oot tolJ wby l wos tokeo. l tblok wbot wos lo tbelt mloJs wos
to slmply ottest some people ooJ tottote tbem becoose sometbloq boJ boppeoeJ. 5o tbot
oftet tbot, tbey tbooqbt tbot people woolJ oot come oot llke tbot, petbops. l tblok tbey JlJ lt
wltb tbot loteotloo.
127



121
1Sl-010 p.3
122
1Sl-023 p.16.
123
1lS-026, p. 3.
124
1Sl-023 p.6.
123
1Sl-001, p. 9.
126
1Sl-003 p.9.
127
1Sl-012, p. 8.

32


AnoLher Lold how he soughL help for Lhe psychologlcal sympLoms he was sufferlng:

1be tottote ooJ tbloqs tbot wos lofllcteJ oo me ls lo my beott - psycboloqlcolly. l olso weot
to see o psycboloqlst. coo l tell yoo tbls btlefly? l wosot sleeploq ooJ l JlJ oot bove ooy
Jteoms wbeo l JlJ sleep. vetyooe woolJ soy tbey boJ tbls Jteom ot tbot Jteom. 8ot l JlJ
oot bove ooy Jteoms, fot o looq tlme. ... 5o l qot o blt coocetoeJ ooJ tepoesteJ to see o
psycboloqlst. 5o l sow some womoo Joctot, o psycboloqlst. 5be lotetvleweJ me fot oboot 45
mlootes. 5o we kept tolkloq ooJ oftet l boJ tolJ oll tbese stotles, sbe solJ tbot tbls woolJ oot
qo owoy ootll l boJ tokeo some teveoqe - tbot my mloJ boJ beeo JomoqeJ
psycboloqlcolly.
128


WlLhouL supporL from Lhe sLaLe, vlcLlms have been lefL Lo deal wlLh Lhe afLermaLh of LorLure,
lll-LreaLmenL and long perlods of arblLrary deLenLlon on Lhelr own. 1hls has lncluded ln some
cases belng forced Lo seek medlcal LreaLmenL overseas, aL Lhelr own expense.
129


H&$).+&*$0-#&66&/$#"*#(./$.+L1#63$3)&#
#
Some of Lhe vlcLlms were very young when Lhey were held ln prlson and LorLured. 1hls has
had a devasLaLlng lmpacL on Lhe course LhaL Lhelr llfe has Laken. Cne recalled how followlng
hls deLenLlon, hls educaLlon falled and recelved very poor resulLs ln hls exams from Lhen on.
130

AnoLher boy who was Laken lnLo cusLody as a 13 year old reporLed LhaL 8y tbe tlme l wos
fteeJ, l boJ beeo expelleJ ftom scbool...wbeo l weot to eotol ot Allyo 5cbool, tbey solJ tbot l
coooot jolo. oo ote someooe wbo boJ meJJleJ wltb polltlcs. 1betefote, jyoo woolJ] tolk oboot
socb tbloqs ooJ oot stoJeots wlll be spollt.
131

#
?+,0/$#"*#60+.-9#0*8#"$%&)1#
#
1he damage caused by lllegal deLenLlon and LorLure was noL llmlLed Lo Lhe vlcLlms Lhemselves.
Many had chlldren and spouses who had prevlously depended on Lhem, and who were
requlred Lo care for Lhem when Lhey reLurned. CLhers had buslnesses LhaL were rulned by
Lhelr Llme ln deLenLlon, leavlng Lhelr employees wlLhouL [obs.

Abdulla Saeed and hls wlfe were arresLed and lmprlsoned on false drugs charges, leavlng Lhelr
four young chlldren Lo fend for Lhemselves:

All tbese cbllJteo lost tbelt eJocotloo. wltboot ooyooe to look oftet tbem, tbe wbole fomlly
wos tokeo wltboot ooy evlJeoce. As o tesolt of tbem beloq tokeo, tbelt pbyslcol ooJ
psycboloqlcol - ooJ tbelt eJocotloo ooJ evetytbloq JlsloteqtoteJ. ... All oot belooqloqs lo tbe
boose wete stoleo. 1be toom jost boJ lts sbell - evetytbloq wos tokeo. lt wos o slstet of my
wlfe wbo took tbe cbllJteo, feJ ooJ lookeJ oftet tbem. 1bey coolJ oot eJocote tbem, coolJ
tbey? wbeo we tetotoeJ, tbey boJ beeo expelleJ ftom scbool. . wbot coo l soy? now Jo l
tell yoo tbe loss we soffeteJ - lt coooot be coooteJ lo mlllloos ot blllloos. 1bete coo be oo
compeosotloo fot tbls loss we soffeteJ.. 1be fotce of lt, tbe sottow of lt, tbe loss to my
cbllJteo becoose of lt, tbe Jesttoctloo of my cbllJteos eJocotloo ooJ tbe woy lt cbooqeJ oot
llves. lt wlll oevet foJe owoy ftom my beott.
132


128
1Sl-022 p.20.
129
See, for example, 1Sl-001, p. 9, 1Sl-012, p. 7.
130
1Sl-009, p.4
131
1Sl-004, pp.9-10
132
1Sl-021, pp.13, 27.
33


Cne man was arresLed ln fronL of hls chlld, 3 years and 8 monLhs old, for whom he was Lhe sole
carer. uurlng Lhe arresL, he says LhaL hls hands were llfLed up and handcuffed LogeLher , and he
was beaLen ln fronL of hls chlld. lor flve years he was held wlLhouL hls famlly knowlng where
he was. When he regalned conLacL, he was Lold how Lhe Lrauma of Lhe arresL had lmpacLed hls
young son:

lt wos oftet 5 yeots tbot ooy oews beqoo to teocb me. At tbot polot, my cbllJs motbet .
come ooJ [Lold me abouL my chlld]. . [W]beo be wos ot scbool, be woolJ slt wltb botb bls
booJs op jlo tbe olt] llke botb my booJs wete llfteJ op. . [P]e beboveJ llke tbls fot 2 yeots ot
so. 1bot ls wbot bott me tbe most, tbot wos.
133


AnoLher man recounLed loslng hls llvellhood because of hls lllegal deLenLlon:

At tbe tlme, l wos lovolveJ lo o blq coosttoctloo bosloess ooJ we boJ 4J employees. 1bete
wos oo woy to poy tbelt woqes. All tbot wos JesttoyeJ ooJ toloeJ becoose of tbls cose. .!
1beo my bosloess wos toloeJ ooJ oll my employees wete lo o Jlte sltootloo ooJ l boJ to seoJ
tbem oll owoy. 1bete wos ootbloq left of oll tbot l boJ wotkeJ fot, oll my llfe. l wos booktopt.
wbeo l come bome, tbe llmbs of my yoooqest cbllJ wete tbls slze. l wos so beottbtokeo tbot l
botst loto teots. 1bey wete psycboloqlcolly lll - l tblok my wlfe ooJ cbllJteo wlll vety well
temembet tbe eveots ooJ tbloqs of jtbe olqbt l wos ottesteJ]. veo toJoy, l woolJ oppteclote
lf yoo woolJ osk tbem wbot boJ boppeoeJ. wbeo tbey took me bome, wbot l sow wos tbe
stote of my cbllJteo, oll moloootlsbeJ ooJ oowell.
134


133
1Sl-022, p.4.
134
1Sl-016, p.6.

34


V. 1nL MALDIVLS' C8LIGA1ICNS UNDLk IN1LkNA1ICNAL LAW
1he LesLlmonles revlewed provlde credlble evldence of paLLerns of Lhe use of LorLure and lll-
LreaLmenL on a wlde scale agalnsL many people deLalned ln Lhe Maldlves over a long perlod of
Llme. ln Lhe ma[orlLy of cases Lhe LorLure was susLalned and lnvolved a number of offlclals.
Many of Lhe vlcLlms reporL LhaL Lhey conLlnue Lo suffer slgnlflcanL physlcal and psychologlcal
dlfflculLles, and Lhere are some whose llves have been blown compleLely off-course.

uesplLe Lhe acknowledgemenL wlLhln Lhe Maldlves LhaL LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL had been
commlLLed on a large scale prlor Lo Lhe democraLlc LranslLlon, Lo daLe Lhe CovernmenL has noL
responded Lo effecLlvely address Lhe legacy of LhaL LorLure. lnLernaLlonal law lmposes
obllgaLlons on Lhe Maldlves Lo do so, and provldes guldance as Lo how lL should be done. A
fallure Lo respond as requlred by lnLernaLlonal law ls a vlolaLlon ln lLs own rlghL.
LffecLlvely respondlng Lo LorLure - especlally on such a large scale - requlres a speclflc pollcy
and seL of responses. key lssues Lo be Lackled lnclude combaLlng lmpunlLy for LorLure,
provldlng [usLlce for vlcLlms, and underLaklng reforms Lo prevenL Lhe vlolaLlons recurrlng ln Lhe
fuLure.
a. 1orture and |||-treatment as a ser|ous v|o|at|on of |nternat|ona| |aw
unLll 2004, Lhe Maldlves was noL parLy Lo any LreaLy speclflcally ouLlawlng LorLure, excepL ln
relaLlon Lo chlldren.
133
Powever, even before LhaL Llme cusLomary lnLernaLlonal prohlblLed
LorLure and cruel, lnhuman and degradlng LreaLmenL,
136
and lmposed lnLernaLlonal crlmlnal
llablllLy on lLs perpeLraLors.
137
1hls means LhaL even Lhough Lhe Maldlves dld noL have speclflc
LreaLy obllgaLlons Lo respond Lo LorLure prlor Lo 2004, LorLure commlLLed before LhaL Llme was
an lnLernaLlonal crlme and Lhe Maldlves ls responslble as a maLLer of lnLernaLlonal law for lL.
138

lmporLanLly, Lhls enLalls a serles of obllgaLlons Lo respond Lo Lhe allegaLlons of LorLure
documenLed (see v(b)).
531$"+0)9#.*$&)*0$."*0-#-0D#"E-.'0$."*1#$"#,)&(&*$#0*8#,3*.1%#$")$3)&#
1he cusLomary lnLernaLlonal law prohlblLlon of LorLure developed and was progresslvely
codlfled over Lhe 20
Lh
cenLury. 1he prohlblLlon of LorLure and cruel, lnhuman and degradlng
LreaLmenL or punlshmenL was lncluded ln Lhe 1948 unlversal ueclaraLlon of Puman 8lghLs
139


133
ArLlcle 37 of Lhe ConvenLlon on Lhe 8lghLs of Lhe Chlld (C8C) (11 lebruary 1991, sub[ecL Lo reservaLlons). lL was
also parLy Lo Lhe followlng LreaLles relevanL Lo LorLure commlLLed agalnsL lndlvlduals from cerLaln groups: Lhe
ConvenLlon on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of All lorms of 8aclal ulscrlmlnaLlon (CL8u) (24 Aprll 1984) Lhe and Lhe ConvenLlon
on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of ulscrlmlnaLlon agalnsL Women (CLuAW) (1 !uly 1993, sub[ecL Lo reservaLlons).
136
See 8urgers & uanellus (1998), above n.3, p. 1.
137
See, eg. ltosecotot v lotooJzljo, above n.3, lloocbet (no. 3) [2000] 1 AC 147.
138
See lnLernaLlonal Law Commlsslon (2001), '8esponslblllLy of SLaLes for lnLernaLlonally Wrongful AcLs', ArL. 4
((1)1be cooJoct of ooy 5tote otqoo sboll be cooslJeteJ oo oct of tbot 5tote ooJet lotetootloool low, wbetbet tbe
otqoo exetclses leqlslotlve, execotlve, joJlclol ot ooy otbet fooctloos, wbotevet posltloo lt bolJs lo tbe otqoolzotloo of
tbe 5tote, ooJ wbotevet lts cbotoctet os oo otqoo of tbe ceottol Covetomeot ot of o tettltotlol oolt of tbe 5tote. (2)
Ao otqoo locloJes ooy petsoo ot eotlty wblcb bos tbot stotos lo occotJooce wltb tbe lotetool low of tbe 5tote.")
139
ArLlcle 3. See 8urgers & uanellus (1998), above n. 3, p. 10.
33

and furLher developed Lhrough lnLernaLlonal humanlLarlan law,
140
lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs
law
141
and more recenLly Lhrough lnLernaLlonal crlmlnal law.
142

ln 1973 Lhe un Ceneral Assembly adopLed Lhe ueclaraLlon on Lhe roLecLlon of All ersons
from 8elng Sub[ecLed Lo 1orLure and CLher Cruel, lnhuman or uegradlng 1reaLmenL or
unlshmenL, whlch proclalmed LhaL [n]o 5tote moy petmlt ot toletote tottote ot otbet ctoel,
lobomoo ot JeqtoJloq tteotmeot ot poolsbmeot", and LhaL each SLaLe sboll eosote tbot oll
octs of tottote os JefloeJ lo ottlcle 1 ote offeoces ooJet lts ctlmlool low".
143

As Lhe lnLernaLlonal Crlmlnal 1rlbunal for Lhe lormer ?ugoslavla observed ln 1998:
1be exlsteoce of tbls cotpos of qeoetol ooJ tteoty toles ptosctlbloq tottote sbows tbot tbe
lotetootloool commoolty, owote of tbe lmpottooce of ootlowloq tbls belooos pbeoomeooo,
bos JeclJeJ to sopptess ooy moolfestotloo of tottote by opetotloq botb ot tbe lotetstote level
ooJ ot tbe level of loJlvlJools. No leqol loopboles bove beeo left.
144

LxacLly when LorLure became an lnLernaLlonal crlme ls a maLLer for debaLe, however Lhere ls
accepLance LhaL, aL leasL slnce Lhe early 1980s, LorLure - parLlcularly when commlLLed
sysLemaLlcally or as an lnsLrumenL of sLaLe pollcy - has been a crlme punlshable under
lnLernaLlonal law.
143
As LorLure ls a jos coqeos norm of lnLernaLlonal law aLLracLlng unlversal
[urlsdlcLlon, LorLure commlLLed slnce Lhe recognlLlon of lL as an lnLernaLlonal crlme may be
prosecuLed boLh ln Lhe Maldlves, and ln any oLher SLaLe able and wllllng Lo exerclse
[urlsdlcLlon.
146

GE-.'0$."*1#3*8&)#$)&0$9#1.*/&#MNNO#
ln 2004 Lhe Maldlves acceded Lo Lhe ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure and CLher Cruel lnhuman and
uegradlng 1reaLmenL and unlshmenL (CA1).
147
Slnce Lhen, Lhe Maldlves has become a parLy

140
1949 Ceneva ConvenLlons, Common ArL. 3.
141
See, eg. lnLernaLlonal CovenanL on Clvll and ollLlcal 8lghLs (1966), ArL 7, Luropean ConvenLlon on Puman 8lghLs
(1930), ArL. 3, lnLer-Amerlcan ConvenLlon on Puman 8lghLs (1969), ArL. 3, Afrlcan CharLer on Puman and eople's
8lghLs (1981), ArL. 3, unlversal lslamlc ueclaraLlon of Puman 8lghLs (1981), ArL. 7 (No petsoo sboll be sobjecteJ to
tottote lo mloJ ot boJy, ot JeqtoJeJ, ot tbteoteoeJ wltb lojoty eltbet to blmself ot to ooyooe teloteJ to ot belJ Jeot
by blm.")
142
8ome SLaLuLe of Lhe lnLernaLlonal Crlmlnal CourL, ArL. 7.
143
ArLlcle 3.
144
ltosecotot v lotooJzljo, above n.3, para. 146.
143
ln Lhe 8rlLlsh case of lloocbet, Lord MllleLL held LhaL lL had been a crlme under lnLernaLlonal law well befote
1984" and slnce aL leasL 1973: lloocbet (no. 3) [2000] 1 AC 147 aL 276 per Lord MllleLL. ln Lhe uuLch case of
8ouLerse, Lhe uuLch CourL of Appeal held LhaL LorLure as a crlme agalnsL humanlLy was an lnLernaLlonal crlme ln
1982 (Lhe year when Lhe offences alleged ln LhaL case Look place): 8ootetse, ueclslon, eLlLlon nos. 897/163/12 Sv
and 897/176/12 S v, CourL of Appeal (CerechLshof AmsLerdam), 3
Lh
chamber, 20 november 2000, para. 8.2, see also
ltosecotot v lotooJzljo, above n.3, paras. 138-140. ln 1980, a uS courL recognlsed LhaL lo tbe moJeto oqe,
bomooltotloo ooJ ptoctlcol cooslJetotloos bove combloeJ to leoJ tbe ootloos of tbe wotlJ to tecoqolze tbot tespect
fot fooJomeotol bomoo tlqbts ls lo tbelt loJlvlJool ooJ collectlve lotetest. Amooq tbe tlqbts oolvetsolly ptoclolmeJ
by oll ootloos, os we bove ooteJ, ls tbe tlqbt to be ftee of pbyslcol tottote. .": lllottlqo v leoo ltolo (1980) 630 l.2d
aL 889.
146
See ltosecotot v lotooJzljo, above n.3, lloocbet (No. J) [2000] 1 AC 147 aL 276 per Lord MllleLL (lo my oploloo,
tbe systemotlc ose of tottote oo o lotqe scole ooJ os oo losttomeot of stote pollcy boJ joloeJ pltocy, wot ctlmes ooJ
ctlmes oqolost peoce os oo lotetootloool ctlme of oolvetsol jotlsJlctloo well befote 1984. l cooslJet tbot lt boJ Jooe
so by 197J. lot my owo pott, tbetefote, l woolJ bolJ tbot tbe cootts of tbls coootty olteoJy possesseJ exttotettltotlol
jotlsJlctloo lo tespect of tottote ooJ coospltocy to tottote oo tbe scole of tbe cbotqes lo tbe pteseot cose ooJ JlJ oot
tepolte tbe ootbotlty of stotote to exetclse lt."), cf. 8ootetse, uuLch Supreme CourL (Poge 8aad), 32 n?lL aL 287
(2001). See also 8yngaerL, Cedrlc (2003), 'unlversal Crlmlnal !urlsdlcLlon over 1orLure: A sLaLe of affalrs', lnsLlLuLe
for lnLernaLlonal Law Worklng aper no. 66, AugusL 2003, arL lll.3, avallable aL:
hLLp://www.law.kuleuven.be/llr/nl/onderzoek/wp/W66e.pdf.
147
20 Aprll 2004.

36


Lo oLher convenLlons lncludlng Lhe lnLernaLlonal CovenanL on Clvll and ollLlcal 8lghLs
(lCC8)
148
and lLs CpLlonal roLocol,
149
Lhe CpLlonal roLocol Lo Lhe ConvenLlon agalnsL 1orLure
(C-CA1),
130
Lhe CpLlonal roLocol Lo Lhe ConvenLlon on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of ulscrlmlnaLlon
agalnsL Women (C-CLuAW),
131
and Lhe lnLernaLlonal ConvenLlon for Lhe roLecLlon of All
ersons from Lnforced ulsappearance.
132

under Lhese LreaLles, Lhe Maldlves has Lhe obllgaLlon Lo respecL, proLecL and fulfll human
rlghLs. ln parLlcular, Lhe Maldlves has speclflc obllgaLlons relaLlng Lo Lhe prevenLlon and
prohlblLlon of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL. 1he CA1 and lCC8 lmpose boLh negaLlve and poslLlve
duLles on sLaLe parLles, lncludlng refralnlng from commlLLlng acLs of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL
and crlmlnallslng Lhese acLs, and Laklng acLlons Lo prevenL, lnvesLlgaLe and punlsh Lhe acLs and
provlde reparaLlon.
b. kesponses requ|red by |nternat|ona| |aw
Where an lnLernaLlonal wrong has been commlLLed, lnLernaLlonal law requlres LhaL Lhe wrong
ls, Lo Lhe exLenL posslble, repalred, and LhaL sLeps are Laken Lo ensure LhaL lL does noL happen
agaln.
133
1hls general prlnclple applles wlLh equal force Lo serlous crlmes and vlolaLlons of
human rlghLs commlLLed agalnsL lndlvlduals. ln 2003, Lhls was recognlzed by Lhe un Ceneral
Assembly, when lL adopLed Lhe 8aslc rlnclples and Culdellnes on Lhe 8lghL Lo a 8emedy and
8eparaLlon for vlcLlms of vlolaLlons of lnLernaLlonal Puman 8lghLs and PumanlLarlan Law.
134

1hese rlnclples consLlLuLe a slgnlflcanL conLrlbuLlon Lo Lhe codlflcaLlon of norms relaLlng Lo
Lhe rlghL Lo reparaLlon.
under lnLernaLlonal law, Lhe Maldlves musL provlde vlcLlms of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL wlLh a
remedy and reparaLlon. 1hls lnvolves an obllgaLlon Lo lnvesLlgaLe credlble allegaLlons of
LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL, Lo provlde a mechanlsm Lo conslder complalnLs of LorLure, and,
where such LorLure ls proved, Lo provlde reparaLlon Lo Lhe vlcLlms. lL also lnvolves Laklng sLeps
Lo reveal Lhe LruLh of whaL happened, boLh Lo Lhe lndlvldual and Lhe socleLy as a whole,
combaLlng lmpunlLy for such vlolaLlons, and ensurlng LhaL lL does noL happen agaln.
lovestlqotloo
ArLlcle 12 of Lhe CA1 requlres LhaL eocb 5tote lotty sboll eosote tbot lts competeot ootbotltles
ptoceeJ to o ptompt ooJ lmpottlol lovestlqotloo, wbetevet tbete ls teosoooble qtoooJ to
belleve tbot oo oct of tottote bos beeo commltteJ lo ooy tettltoty ooJet lts jotlsJlctloo".
133

lnLernaLlonal [urlsprudence and LreaLles spell ouL ln greaLer deLall whaL ls requlred for an
effecLlve and human rlghLs compllanL lnvesLlgaLlon, and furLher speclflc guldance ln relaLlon Lo
LorLure complalnLs ls provlded by Lhe Manual on Lhe LffecLlve lnvesLlgaLlon and
uocumenLaLlon of 1orLure and CLher Cruel, lnhuman or uegradlng 1reaLmenL or unlshmenL

148
19 SepLember 2006.
149
19 SepLember 2006.
130
13 lebruary 2006.
131
13 March 2006.
132
6 lebuary 2007.
133
Cl!, loctoty ot cbotzow, !urlsdlcLlon, !udgmenL no. 8, 1927, Serles A, no. 17, p.29.
134
8aslc rlnclples and Culdellnes on Lhe 8lghL Lo a 8emedy and 8eparaLlon for vlcLlms of Cross vlolaLlons of
lnLernaLlonal Puman 8lghLs Law and Serlous vlolaLlons of lnLernaLlonal PumanlLarlan Law, adopLed and proclalmed
by Ceneral Assembly resoluLlon 60/147 of 16 uecember 2003 (8aslc rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon").
133
See also un Puman 8lghLs CommlLLee (P8CLee"), Ceneral CommenL no. 20 on ArL. 7.
37

(known as Lhe lsLanbul roLocol), endorsed by Lhe un Ceneral Assembly ln 2004.
136
An
lndlvldual who clalms Lo be a vlcLlm of LorLure has Lhe rlghL Lo complaln and have hls or her
allegaLlon examlned prompLly and lmparLlally by compeLenL auLhorlLles.
157
ln any evenL,
obllgaLlons Lo lnvesLlgaLe suspecLed serlous vlolaLlons arlse lrrespecLlve of wheLher Lhere has
been a formal complalnL.
158
vlcLlms or Lhelr relaLlves should be lnvolved ln and lnformed of Lhe
progress of Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon,
159
and Lhe compeLenL auLhorlLles should be granLed Lhe
necessary powers and resources Lo carry ouL an effecLlve lnvesLlgaLlon, lncludlng access Lo
relevanL documenLaLlon and oLher lnformaLlon.
160

1he Puman 8lghLs CommlLLee has sLressed Lhe useful role LhaL lndependenL and lmparLlal
admlnlsLraLlve mechanlsms, lncludlng naLlonal human rlghLs lnsLlLuLlons, can play ln glvlng
effecL Lo sLaLes' general obllgaLlon Lo lnvesLlgaLe allegaLlons of vlolaLlons prompLly, Lhoroughly
and effecLlvely.
161
Powever, ln cases of serlous human rlghLs vlolaLlons Lhese musL never be
seen Lo remove Lhe opLlon of access Lo a [udlclal remedy.
162

LffecLlve lnvesLlgaLlons are a necessary prerequlslLe Lo prosecuLlons and Lhe provlslon of
remedy and reparaLlon, and a sLaLe's duLy Lo prevenL fuLure vlolaLlons. Powever, Lhey are also
parL of provldlng boLh lndlvlduals and socleLles wlLh Lhelr rlghL Lo Lhe LruLh. 1he rlghL Lo know
Lhe LruLh has been developed Lhrough Lhe [urlsprudence of human rlghLs bodles and
lnLernaLlonal crlmlnal law courLs and lncludes Lhe enLlLlemenL Lo seek and obLaln lnformaLlon
on:
tbe cooses leoJloq to tbe petsoos vlctlmlzotloo, tbe cooses ooJ cooJltloos pettololoq to tbe qtoss
vlolotloos of lotetootloool bomoo tlqbts low ooJ setloos vlolotloos of lotetootloool bomooltotloo low,
tbe ptoqtess ooJ tesolts of tbe lovestlqotloo, tbe cltcomstooces ooJ teosoos fot tbe petpettotloo of
ctlmes ooJet lotetootloool low ooJ qtoss bomoo tlqbts vlolotloos, tbe cltcomstooces lo wblcb
vlolotloos took ploce, lo tbe eveot of Jeotb, mlssloq ot eofotceJ Jlsoppeotooce, tbe fote ooJ
wbeteoboots of tbe vlctlms, ooJ tbe lJeotlty of petpettotots.
163

1he rlghL Lo know Lhe LruLh ls boLh an lndlvldual and collecLlve rlghL: Lhe rlghL of a vlcLlm Lo
know Lhe LruLh abouL vlolaLlons buL also a rlghL of socleLy, wlLh Lhe alm of prevenLlng Lhe
reccurrence of vlolaLlons.
164


136
P8//1/8/8ev.1.
137
Lg. CA1, ArL. 13, un SLandard Mlnlmum 8ules for Lhe 1reaLmenL for rlsoners, adopLed by Lhe llrsL unlLed
naLlons Congress on Lhe revenLlon of Crlme and Lhe 1reaLmenL of Cffenders and approved by Lhe Lconomlc and
Soclal Councll by lLs resoluLlons 663 C (xxlv) of 31 !uly 1937 and 2076 (Lxll) (13 May 1977), rule 36(4), P8CLee,
Ceneral CommenL no. 20, para. 14. See also lACLP8, Motltzo uttotlo v Cootemolo, (!udgmenL of 27 november
2003), Serles C, no. 103 (2003), para. 119, and LCLP8, Mlkbeyev v kosslo, no. 77617/01 (26 !anuary 2006), para.
109, LCLP8, Oqot v 1otkey, no. 21394/93 (13 uecember 1997), paras. 91-92.
138
Lg. ConvenLlon on Lnforced ulsappearances, ArL. 12(2), CommlLLee AgalnsL 1orLure, neotl lotot v 5polo, no.
6/1990, u.n. uoc. A/30/44 aL 62 (1993), para 10.4, CommlLLee AgalnsL 1orLure, 8looco AboJ v 5polo, no. 39/1996,
CA1/C/20/u/39/1996 (1998), para 8.6, Ceneral 8ecommendaLlons of Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on 1orLure, para.26 (k).
139
See prlnclple 4 of Lhe rlnclples on Lhe LffecLlve lnvesLlgaLlon and uocumenLaLlon of 1orLure and CLher Cruel,
lnhuman or uegradlng 1reaLmenL or unlshmenL, (known as Lhe 'lsLanbul roLocol') annexed Lo Ceneral Assembly
resoluLlon 33/89 of 4 uecember 2000 and Lo Commlsslon on Puman 8lghLs resoluLlon 2000/43 of 20 Aprll 2000,
boLh adopLed wlLhouL a voLe, see also CommlLLee AgalnsL 1orLure, nojtlzl uzemojl v oqoslovlo, no. 161/1999,
CA1/C/29/u/161/2000 (2002).
160
eg. Lnforced ulsappearance ConvenLlon, ArL. 12(3)(a).
161
P8CLee, Ceneral CommenL no. 31, para.13.
162
8aslc rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon, (above n.134), para. 12.
163
See Lhe 2006 sLudy by Lhe CPCP8: Commlsslon on Puman 8lghLs, 'SLudy on Lhe rlghL Lo Lhe LruLh 8eporL of Lhe
Cfflce of Lhe unlLed naLlons Plgh Commlssloner for Puman 8lghLs', L/Cn.4/2006/91, 8 lebruary 2006 (SLudy on
Lhe 8lghL Lo Lhe 1ruLh"), para. 38.
164
un Worklng Croup on Lnforced or lnvolunLary ulsappearances, Ceneral CommenL on Lhe 8lghL Lo Lhe 1ruLh ln
8elaLlon Lo Lnforced ulsappearances, 22 !uly 2010.

38


kemeJy ooJ kepototloo
vlcLlms of serlous human rlghLs vlolaLlons have Lhe rlghL Lo equal and effecLlve access Lo
remedles, lncludlng [udlclal remedles, for Lhe provlslon of adequaLe and effecLlve reparaLlon.
1haL reparaLlon may be provlded ln forms lncludlng resLlLuLlon, compensaLlon, saLlsfacLlon,
163

guaranLees of non-repeLlLlon
166
and rehablllLaLlon Lo repalr Lhe harm Lhey have suffered.
167

1he rlghL Lo a remedy and reparaLlon for lnLernaLlonal crlmes and human rlghLs vlolaLlons ls
flrmly esLabllshed ln lnLernaLlonal law.
168
lor example, ArLlcle 2(3)(a) of Lhe lCC8 provldes
LhaL Lhe sLaLe parLy ls obllged [L]o eosote tbot ooy petsoo wbose tlqbts ot fteeJoms os betelo
tecoqolseJ ote vloloteJ sboll bove oo effectlve temeJy, ootwltbstooJloq tbot tbe vlolotloo bos
beeo commltteJ by petsoos octloq lo oo offlclol copoclty".
ArLlcle 14 of Lhe CA1 furLher provldes LhaL:
ocb 5tote lotty sboll eosote lo lts leqol system tbot tbe vlctlm of oo oct of tottote obtolos
teJtess ooJ bos oo eofotceoble tlqbt to folt ooJ oJepoote compeosotloo, locloJloq tbe
meoos fot os foll tebobllltotloo os posslble. lo tbe eveot of tbe Jeotb of tbe vlctlm os o tesolt
of oo oct of tottote, bls JepeoJoots sboll be eotltleJ to compeosotloo.
lor serlous human rlghLs vlolaLlons, lncludlng LorLure, whlch by deflnlLlon lnvolve sLaLe
responslblllLy, effecLlve remedles musL be avallable agalnsL Lhe sLaLe, and noL [usL agalnsL Lhe
lndlvldual perpeLraLor.
169
SLaLes musL award forms of reparaLlon LhaL are adequaLe,
approprlaLe and proporLlonaLe Lo Lhe gravlLy of Lhe crlme and Lhe physlcal and menLal harm
suffered.
170
ln cases of LorLure, compensaLlon wlLhouL oLher forms of reparaLlon ls unllkely Lo
be sufflclenL. 1he CommlLLee AgalnsL 1orLure has made lL clear LhaL compeosotloo sboolJ
covet oll tbe Jomoqes soffeteJ by tbe vlctlm, wblcb locloJes, omooq otbet meosotes,
testltotloo, compeosotloo, ooJ tebobllltotloo of tbe vlctlm, os well os meosotes to qootootee
tbe ooo-tepetltloo of tbe vlolotloos, olwoys beotloq lo mloJ tbe cltcomstooces of eocb cose".
171

1he obllgaLlon Lo ensure LhaL all vlcLlms are provlded wlLh Lhe rlghL Lo seek reparaLlon applles
equally durlng perlods of LranslLlon, alLhough Lhe sheer number of clalms wlll ofLen mean LhaL
ensurlng adequaLe and effecLlve reparaLlons are a challenge. AdmlnlsLraLlve reparaLlons
programmes have been developed ln many conLexLs ln response Lo some of Lhese challenges,
however such mechanlsms can only ever complemenL raLher Lhan subsLlLuLe access Lo Lhe
courLs.
172
ldeally, Lhe deslgn of admlnlsLraLlve reparaLlon programmes wlll be sufflclenLly

163
SaLlsfacLlon lncludes measures such as verlflcaLlon of Lhe facLs and full and publlc dlsclosure, publlc apologles,
commemoraLlons and LrlbuLes Lo Lhe vlcLlms. rosecuLlon of perpeLraLors ls one form of saLlsfacLlon: 8aslc
rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon, (above n.134), para. 22.
166
1haL ls, measures Lo prevenL Lhe vlolaLlon recurrlng ln Lhe fuLure, such as revlewlng laws LhaL conLrlbuLe Lo Lhe
vlolaLlon and lmplemenLlng monlLorlng measures, and ensurlng effecLlve conLrol of Lhe mlllLary and securlLy
servlces. See 8aslc rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon, (above n.134), para.23.
167
See P8CLee, Ceneral CommenL no. 31, para. 16, 8aslc rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon, (above n.134), para.
18.
168
8aslc rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon, (above n.134). See also Lhe un ueclaraLlon of 8aslc rlnclples of
!usLlce for vlcLlms of Crlme and Abuse of ower, adopLed by Ceneral Assembly resoluLlon 40/34 of 29 november
1983, and Lhe unlversal ueclaraLlon of Puman 8lghLs (1948), ArL. 8. lor example, lCC8, ArLs. 2(3), 9(3) and 14(6),
CA1, ArL. 14, and SLaLuLe of Lhe lnLernaLlonal Crlmlnal CourL (1988) ArL. 73, lACLP8, velospoez koJtlqoez v
nooJotos, (!udgmenL of 29 !uly 1988), Serles C, no. 4 (1988), para. 174. See also LCLP8, lopomlcbolopoolos v
Cteece, App. no. 14336/89, (1993) aL para. 36.
169
8aslc rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon, (above n.134), para. 13.
170
8aslc rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon, (above n.134), para.13.
171
CommlLLee AgalnsL 1orLure, CotlJl v 5polo, no. 212/2002, CA1/C/34/u/212/2002 (2003), para. 6.8.
172
P8CLee, 8ootlsto Je Atellooo v colomblo, no. 363/1993, CC8/C/33/u/363/1993 (1993), para. 8.2
39

lncluslve, responslve Lo Lhe wlshes and needs of vlcLlms, LransparenL, easy Lo use, efflclenL and
seen as [usL, LhaL Lhe advanLages of uslng Lhe programme wlll ouLwelgh Lhe prospecL of galnlng
reparaLlon before Lhe courLs or oLher esLabllshed mechanlsms.
173

combotloq lmpoolty fot tottote
under ArLlcles 3 and 7 of Lhe ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure Lhe Maldlves has Lhe obllgaLlon Lo
prosecuLe and punlsh any person found on lLs LerrlLory who ls alleged Lo have commlLLed
LorLure, where Lhere ls sufflclenL evldence Lo do so.
174

1hls supporLs sLaLes' general obllgaLlon Lo submlL suspecLs of serlous vlolaLlons of lnLernaLlonal
human rlghLs law or lnLernaLlonal crlmes Lo prosecuLlon where lLs lnvesLlgaLlons lnLo Lhose
allegaLlons ldenLlfy a suspecLed perpeLraLor and provlde sufflclenL evldence. lf LhaL person ls
found gullLy, Lhe sLaLe has Lhe duLy Lo punlsh hlm or her.
173

Crlmlnal lnvesLlgaLlon and consequenLlal prosecuLlon are necessary remedles for vlolaLlons of
Lhe mosL fundamenLal human rlghLs. lor example, Lhe Puman 8lghLs CommlLLee has
repeaLedly emphaslsed LhaL a fallure Lo brlng Lo [usLlce perpeLraLors of vlolaLlons recognlsed as
crlmlnal under elLher domesLlc or lnLernaLlonal law, such as LorLure and slmllar cruel, lnhuman
or degradlng LreaLmenL (arLlcle 7), summary and arblLrary kllllng (arLlcle 6) and enforced
dlsappearance (arLlcles 7 and 9 and, frequenLly, 6) could ln lLself glve rlse Lo a vlolaLlon under
Lhe lCC8.
176


173
See 8Lu8LSS, '8rlnglng Lhe lnLernaLlonal rohlblLlon of 1orLure Pome: naLlonal lmplemenLaLlon gulde for Lhe un
ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure and CLher Cruel, lnhuman or uegradlng 1reaLmenL or unlshmenL' (!anuary 2006), p.
87.
174
ArLlcle 7.
173
8aslc rlnclples on 8emedy and 8eparaLlon, (above n.134), para. 4.
176
lbld. P8CLee, Ceneral CommenL no. 31, para.18. See also P8CLee, Ceneral CommenL no. 6, para.3, P8CLee,
Ceneral CommenL no. 20, paras. 8 and 13.

40


VI. IAILLD INS1I1U1ICNAL kLSCNSLS 1C 1Ck1UkL IN 1nL
MALDIVLS
Many of Lhose lnLervlewed ralsed complalnLs abouL Lhe LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL Lhey were
sub[ecLed Lo, aL Lhe Llme and slnce. 1hls lncluded lodglng clvll clalms ln Lhe CourLs, and flllng
complalnLs wlLh Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of Lhe Maldlves.
Powever, desplLe Lhe Maldlves' obllgaLlons Lo provlde a remedy and reparaLlon Lo vlcLlms of
LorLure, noL one person lnLervlewed has yeL seen a proper lnvesLlgaLlon lnLo Lhelr case, had a
resoluLlon of Lhelr legal clalm, heard of any person belng prosecuLed or punlshed for whaL was
done, or has recelved any reparaLlon.
a. Comp|a|nts made prior to 2004
1he LesLlmonles lndlcaLe LhaL a number of complalnLs abouL LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL were
made Lo governmenL offlclals, wlLhouL resulL, prlor Lo changes LhaL were lnLroduced ln 2004.
Clven Lhe concenLraLlon of power ln Lhe execuLlve aL Lhe Llme peLlLlonlng Lhe resldenL or
offlclals close Lo hlm was seen as Lhe besL chance of obLalnlng a reprleve from such LreaLmenL,
however lL ls also unsurprlslng LhaL ln many cases lL was Lo no avall.
A number of Lhose lnLervlewed sald LhaL Lhey had made complalnLs abouL Lhelr LreaLmenL Lo
auLhorlLles durlng Lhe Llme of Lhelr deLenLlon. lrom Lhe LesLlmonles lL appears LhaL Lhe usual
way such complalnLs were ralsed was by way of a leLLer Lo offlclals- lncludlng Lhe resldenL,
177

Lhe ALLorney Ceneral,
178
MlnlsLers,
179
members of arllamenL,
180
and offlclals ln Lhe correcLlons
deparLmenL
181
- senL elLher from Lhe prlson or by or Lhrough Lhelr famlly members.
ln a few small cases, such peLlLlonlng appears Lo have had an lmpacL,
182
however ln mosL cases
Lhose who wroLe sald LhaL Lhey dld noL recelve a response.
183
Some recelved leLLers ln
response saylng elLher LhaL Lhe offlclal would look lnLo lL, or LhaL Lhere was noLhlng LhaL Lhey
could do.
184
Cne man who was lnLervlewed recalled LhaL hls faLher had senL a leLLer deLalllng
whaL hls son had been sub[ecLed Lo a MlnlsLer, and Lhe MlnlsLer had Lold hls faLher LhaL lf tbls
wos ttoe, lt woolJ oot be qooJ to oot look loto tbls. My fotbet solJ tbot be boJ solJ tbot.
183

lL appears LhaL ln a llmlLed number of cases maLLers were furLher lnvesLlgaLed afLer complalnLs
were ralsed, alLhough Lhere ls no evldence of any resulL from Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon. Cne young
prlsoner, whose moLher senL a formal complalnL on hls behalf afLer she learned abouL hlm
havlng Lo be glven medlcal LreaLmenL ln prlson, was called Lo meeL an offlclal hlgh up ln Lhe
CorrecLlons ueparLmenL. Pe sald LhaL Lhe offlclal lookeJ ot my tottote lojotles o blt. ne took
some kloJ of stotemeot ftom me. xcept fot tbot, l wos oot tokeo ooywbete else. 1bot wos

177
1Sl-001, p. 10, 1Sl-002, p.6, 1Sl-026, p.9.
178
1Sl-002, p.6.
179
1Sl-011, p.4.
180
1Sl-002, p.6.
181
1Sl-003, pp.8-9, 1Sl-013, p.17, 1Sl-022, p.19, 1Sl-026, p.9.
182
1Sl-001, p. 10, 1Sl-011, p.4.
183
1Sl-001, p. 10, 1Sl-002, p.6.
184
1Sl-002, p.6, 1Sl-022, p.19.
183
1Sl-010, pp. 3-4.
41

wbeo l wos lo joll."
186
AfLer he was released he agaln vlslLed an offlce wlLh hls moLher Lo make
a complalnL. 1hey Look a sLaLemenL, buL noLhlng furLher came of lL.
187

CLhers peLlLloned offlclals ln person when presenLed wlLh Lhe opporLunlLy. lbhrahlm uldl
heard LhaL Lhe resldenL would be vlslLlng Lhe prlson where he was held ln relaLlon Lo Lhe
bulldlng of a mlnlmum securlLy unlL Lhere. Pe hld ln a mosque, and when Lhe resldenL was
near, he came ouLslde Lo greeL hlm.
l solJ Assoloom Alolkom ooJ pot my booJ oot to sboke. lt woolJ bove o sbock to blm.
Moomooo soJJeoly stoppeJ. . l solJ tbot os l wos o MolJlvloo ooJet tbe ptotectloo of tbe
MolJlvloo floq ooJ becoose toJoy be ls tbe leoJet of oll of os ptotectloq oot tlqbts, l wooteJ
to tell blm oboot tbe tottote l wos expetleocloq os o MolJlvloo cltlzeo. wbeo l solJ tbot, be
qestoteJ . ooJ tolJ me to seoJ blm o oote. 5o tbe oext Joy l seot blm o oote. l JlJ oot tblok
tbot tbe oext Joy l woolJ be ollve. 8ot wltb tbe wlll of Allob, tbey JlJ oot poolsb me fottbet. l
tecelveJ o teply to my oote wltblo elqbt Joys. wbot ls solJ wos tbot be boJ oot solJ tbot Joy
tbot be woolJ meet me ooJ tbot l sboolJ seoJ blm wbotevet l wooteJ to soy lo wtltloq. 5o l
seot blm o wbole bost of lettets. AoJ lf tbete wos ooy mokbkomo [offlclal] lo tbe looJ, l seot
o lettet. l oseJ oboot 11 ootebooks to wtlte ooJ tbe ooly ploce wbete people qotbeteJ lo
Mol tbot l JlJ oot seoJ o lettet woolJ be tbe flsb motket. l seot lettets to evetywbete else. l
JlJ oot tecelve ooy teplles.
188

Cn Lhe oLher hand, none of Lhose lnLervlewed appeared Lo have expecLed Lhe [udlclal sysLem
Lo provlde any proLecLlon durlng Lhelr Lrlal and laLer lmprlsonmenL, and Lhere were no
accounLs of Lhe [udlclal sysLem excludlng evldence alleged Lo have been obLalned by LorLure.
Cne man sald LhaL he had sLrongly denled hls gullL durlng Lhe hearlng ln hls case, saylng LhaL
Lhe sLaLemenLs had been Laken from hlm oftet tottotloq os ooJ mokloq os coofess to tbloqs
tbot we JlJ oot Jo wblcb tbey pot oo oot beoJs".
189
Powever, Lhe CourL dld noL Lake any
acLlon: Nooe of tbose lssoes wete lovestlqoteJ. 1bey solJ tbot oboot tbot lssoe, o tepoest boJ
to be pot to some otbet ploce - tbe lteslJeots Offlce."
190

b. kesponses s|nce 2004
WlLh Lhe naLlonal ouLcry followlng Lhe deaLh of Lvan naseem ln prlson ln 2003, and Lhe
shooLlng of Lhree unarmed prlsoners shorLly afLerwards, cerLaln sLeps were Laken Lo
lnvesLlgaLe some of Lhe prevlous vlolaLlons and Lo lmprove Lhe slLuaLlon of prlsoners ln
deLenLlon.
1hose sLeps appear Lo have had an lmpacL ln relaLlon Lo lmprovemenL of prlson condlLlons and
prevenLlon of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL by pollce and oLher offlclals slnce LhaL Llme.
191
ln Lhe
case whlch sparked Lhe changes - LhaL of Lvan naseem - Lhey also evenLually resulLed ln Lhe
prosecuLlon and punlshmenL of Lhe perpeLraLors. Powever, desplLe Lhe esLabllshmenL of a
number of bodles whlch osLenslbly could have lnvesLlgaLed complalnLs of LorLure and lll-
LreaLmenL, and many vlcLlms comlng forward wlLh Lhelr sLorles, ln no oLher case of whlch Lhe

186
1Sl-003, p. 8.
187
1Sl-003, pp.8-9.
188
1Sl-002, p.6. See also 1Sl-022, p.19.
189
1Sl-008, p. 4.
190
lbld.
191
AlLhough a number of credlble allegaLlons of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL do conLlnue Lo be made: see, eg. Lhree
cases ln 2011 referred Lo ln uS ueparLmenL of SLaLe reporL, '2011 Puman 8lghLs 8eporL: Maldlves', 24 May 2012,
avallable aL:
hLLp://www.sLaLe.gov/[/drl/rls/hrrpL/humanrlghLsreporL/lndex.hLm?dynamlc_load_ld=186470#wrapper.

42


auLhors are aware prlor Lo 2004 has Lhere been a proper lnvesLlgaLlon, punlshmenL of Lhe
perpeLraLors, or Lhe provlslon of reparaLlon Lo Lhe vlcLlms. As was apparenL ln Lhe lnLervlews,
Lhe lnsLlLuLlons' fallure Lo address whaL occurred consLlLuLes a ma[or source of frusLraLlon and
furLher paln for Lhe vlcLlms.
<)&(&*$."*#"6#$")$3)&#1.*/&#MNNO#
SLeps have been Laken slnce 2004 Lo address Lhe facLors whlch allowed LorLure and lll-
LreaLmenL Lo occur. rlson reform began ln SepLember 2004, when Lhe pollce and correcLlon
servlces were separaLed from Lhe armed forces and placed under clvlllan conLrol. MonlLorlng
of places of deLenLlon by Lhe lC8C began ln CcLober 2004, and ln 2006, Lhe Maldlves acceded
Lo Lhe CpLlonal roLocol Lo Lhe ConvenLlon agalnsL 1orLure. lrom 2007 Lhe Puman 8lghLs
Commlsslon of Lhe Maldlves (as Lo whlch see furLher below aL 43) was appolnLed as Lhe
naLlonal revenLaLlve Mechanlsm (nM).
1he Maldlves also broughL ln ouLslde experLlse ln relaLlon Lo reform of Lhe prlson servlces,
lnvlLlng Lhe SubcommlLLee on Lhe revenLlon of 1orLure Lo vlslL ln uecember 2007.
192

lollowlng Lhls, sLeps were underLaken Lo reform Lhe pollce and prlsons, lncludlng by means of
adopLlng leglslaLlon.
193
A number of new bodles, lncludlng Lhe MS LLhlcal SLandards
Command, Lhe lndependenL ollce lnLegrlLy Commlsslon, and Lhe Pome MlnlsLry's lnspecLor-
Ceneral, were also Lasked wlLh vlslLlng places of deLenLlon, and respondlng Lo complalnLs of
LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL.
1here have also been some efforLs Lo respond Lo complalnLs of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL ln Lhe
perlod slnce Lhe reforms were lmplemenLed. lor example, ln !anuary 2008, Lwo pollcemen
were lnvesLlgaLed, found gullLy and senLenced Lo one year's lmprlsonmenL for LorLurlng a man
ln cusLody ln 2006.
194
Powever, desplLe more Lhan 100 complalnLs belng lodged wlLh Lhe
ollce lnLegrlLy Commlsslon slnce lL was esLabllshed ln 2006 (as Lo whlch see furLher below)
Lhere do noL appear Lo have been any oLher prosecuLlons slnce LhaL Llme.
193
lurLhermore, ln
Lhe cases of Lhose lnLervlewed for Lhls reporL where LorLure or lll-LreaLmenL reporLedly
occurred afLer 2004, no oLher person has had an lnvesLlgaLlon lnLo Lhelr case, or been provlded
wlLh any form of redress, desplLe ln some cases ralslng Lhese lssues wlLh monlLorlng bodles
lncludlng Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon aL Lhe Llme (see furLher below from 43).
Worrylngly, slnce Lhe change ln governmenL ln lebruary 2012, Lhere have been numerous
reporLs of pollce bruLallLy Lowards peaceful proLesLors.
196
1he Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of

192
un Sub-CommlLLee on revenLlon of 1orLure (S1), 8eporL on Lhe vlslL of Lhe SubcommlLLee on revenLlon of
1orLure and CLher Cruel, lnhuman or uegradlng 1reaLmenL or unlshmenL Lo Lhe Maldlves, 26 lebruary
2009, CA1/C/Muv/1.
193
lor example, a new ollce AcL was adopLed ln 2008. Powever, bllls whlch are sLlll pendlng lnclude Lhe Lvldence
8lll, Crlmlnal rocedures Code and revlsed and updaLed Crlmlnal Code (submlLLed Lo parllamenL ln 2006 and sLlll
pendlng).
194
Maldlves Common Core uocumenL Lo un Puman 8lghLs mechanlsms, 16 lebruary 2010, P8l/CC8L/Muv/2010,
p. 41.
193
See, eg. 2011 uS ueparLmenL of SLaLe reporL, above n.191: 1he ollce lnLegrlLy Commlsslon reporLed ln AugusL
2011 LhaL by Lhen lL had tecelveJ 101 complolots, of wblcb 46 wete coocloJeJ ooJ two seot to tbe ltosecotot
Ceoetols Offlce. AccotJloq to tbe llc, opptoxlmotely 98 petceot of lts tecommeoJotloos moJe to tbe bome mlolstty
ovet tbe lost two yeots boJ oot beeo lmplemeoteJ". 1he 1vA was recenLly lnformed LhaL anoLher case may now
have been senL for prosecuLlon.
196
See, for example, Lhe followlng sLaLemenLs from AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal: 8 lebruary
2012: hLLp://www.amnesLy.org/en/news/maldlves-end-use-excesslve-force-agalnsL-proLesLers-2012-02-08, 29
lebruary 2012: hLLp://llvewlre.amnesLy.org/2012/02/29/maldlves-securlLy-forces-assaulL-women-
proLesLers/langswlLch_lang/az/#more-3220, 7 March 2012, hLLp://www.amnesLyusa.org/news/press-
releases/amnesLy-lnLernaLlonal-urges-maldlves-securlLy-forces-Lo-end-vlolence-agalnsL-peaceful-proLesLers, 28
43

Lhe Maldlves has prepared a reporL on Lhese allegaLlons and handed lL Lo Lhe auLhorlLles ln laLe
May 2012.
197

1hls shows LhaL more remalns Lo be done - parLlcularly ln Lhe lmprovemenL of legal
proLecLlons agalnsL LorLure. lor example, alLhough Lhe ConsLlLuLlon provldes LhaL oo petsoo
sboll be sobjecteJ to ctoel, lobomoo ot JeqtoJloq tteotmeot ot poolsbmeot ot to tottote,
LorLure ls noL yeL deflned as a crlme under Lhe enal Code.
4&1,"*1&1#$"#,01$#$")$3)&#
WlLh llmlLed capaclLy and wlLhouL a sLrong pollLlcal commlLmenL Lo deallng wlLh crlmes
commlLLed ln Lhe pasL, no effecLlve measures have been Laken capable of uncoverlng Lhe LruLh
of pasL vlolaLlons or provldlng [usLlce for vlcLlms of LorLure. varlous bodles have been
esLabllshed whlch could have consldered complalnLs of LorLure, buL only ln Lhe case of Lvan
naseem has any proper lnvesLlgaLlon been made publlc, or any acLlon been Laken agalnsL Lhe
perpeLraLors. Lven ln LhaL case, no reparaLlon has been provlded Lo Lvan's famlly.
5peclflc mecboolsms
Speclflc mechanlsms esLabllshed Lo daLe whlch have (or poLenLlally could have) consldered
lssues of LorLure commlLLed ln Lhe pasL lnclude Lwo resldenLlal Commlsslons, Lhe ubllc
ComplalnLs 8ureau and Lhe ollce lnLegrlLy Commlsslon. Leavlng aslde Lhe lnqulry speclflcally
lnLo Lvan naseem's deaLh, Lhese each appear Lo have been hlndered by Lhe lmposlLlon of very
hlgh sLandards of proof whlch have ln some cases been lmposslble for vlcLlms Lo fulfll,
sLrucLural facLors, parLlcularly Lhe role of pollce as lnvesLlgaLors of crlmes ln whlch Lhe accused
lncluded Lhelr colleagues or superlors, and a lack of commlLmenL Lo or supporL for compleLlng
Lhe Lask.
lteslJeotlol commlssloo loto Jeotb of voo Noseem
1hls flve member commlsslon was seL up by resldenL Cayoom ln SepLember 2003, and
reporLed ln uecember of LhaL year.
198
lLs mandaLe was Lo to lopolte loto tbe
cltcomstooces sottoooJloq tbe Jeotb of nossoo voo Noseem, to lJeotlfy tbe petsoos
tespooslble fot tbe loclJeot ooJ to Jetetmloe tbe exteot of tbelt tespooslblllty, to ootlloe
meosotes tbot coolJ be tokeo to pteveot tbe occotteoce of socb oo loclJeot lo tbe fotote
ooJ to sobmlt o tepott tbeteoo.

1he Commlsslon held LhaL Lvan had been unlawfully kllled by members of Lhe Maafushl !all
SecurlLy unlL (parL of Lhe securlLy servlces, under Lhe MlnlsLry of uefence). lollowlng a
dlsLurbance ln Lhe prlson, he was Laken Lo whaL was known as 'Lhe 8ange', where he was
kept lo o stooJloq posltloo, bock oqolost tbe eosteto woll of tbe wotksbop, wltb bls otms
tolseJ bebloJ bls beoJ ooJ booJcoffeJ to tbe steel bots oo tbe eosteto woll of tbe
wotksbop". Accordlng Lo Lhe Commlsslon, [w]blle voo wos booJcoffeJ to tbe steel bots
of tbe wotksbop be wos beoteo by ot leost 12 Moofosbl Ioll 5ecotlty uolt petsoooel wbo lo

March 2012: hLLp://www.amnesLy.org/en/news/maldlves-musL-lnvesLlgaLe-sexual-harassmenL-deLalned-women-
proLesLers-2012-03-28#.13MClSr0vlw.facebook, 11 !une
2012: hLLp://www.amnesLy.org/en/llbrary/asseL/ASA29/002/2012/en/3132f3ed-aee3-4f1b-a97f-
dc18699ef27e/asa290022012en.hLml.
197
ress 8elease: P8CM has compleLed Lwo lnvesLlgaLlon reporLs and shared lL wlLh concerned auLhorlLles, 28 May
2012: hLLp://hrcm.org.mv/news/page.aspx?ld=143.
198
ln addlLlon Lo lLs reporL lL produced a compllaLlon of lnvesLlgaLlve flndlngs. See resldenLlal Commlsslon,
lnvesLlgaLlve llndlngs lnLo Lhe ueaLh of Passan Lvan naseem, 29 uecember 2003 (Lngllsh LranslaLlon avallable aL:
hLLp://www.dhlvehlobserver.com/reporLs/PassanLvannaseemengllsh.pdf) (lnvesLlgaLlve llndlngs").

44


oJJltloo to osloq bote booJs, oseJ wooJeo plooks, tlot botoos, ooJ tbe boots tbot tbey
wete weotloq".
199
1he Commlsslon ldenLlfled 12 members of Lhe !all SecurlLy unlL who
dlrecLly lnfllcLed bodlly ln[ury (11 prlvaLes and one lance corporal), one corporal who was
responslble for aldlng Lhe crlme, slx offlcers responslble for abeLLlng Lhe crlme, flve oLhers
responslble for asslsLlng ln Lhe crlme lncludlng by falllng Lo prevenL Lhe lll-LreaLmenL, and
Lhree senlor CorrecLlons ueparLmenL offlclals who were oLherwlse responslble for falllng Lo
properly carry ouL Lhelr duLles.
200


lobllc complolots 8oteoo
1hls was esLabllshed ln !une 2004, and was glven a mandaLe Lo lnvesLlgaLe cases of LorLure
from LhaL Llme. lL appears LhaL lLs lnvesLlgaLlve acLlvlLy was halLed ln May 2006. ln 2007
Lhe SubcommlLLee on revenLlon of 1orLure was Lold LhaL lL had lovestlqoteJ 69 coses, oot
of wblcb 57 locloJeJ olleqotloos of tottote ooJ/ot lll-tteotmeot, mololy of vloleoce ooJ
beotloq ot tbe tlme of lovestlqotloo lo otJet to fotce coofessloos, ooJ olso complolots
oboot Jeptlvotloo of sleep". 1he SubcommlLLee was Lold LhaL LorLure was noL proven ln
any of Lhe cases examlned by Lhe 8ureau.

When lLs acLlvlLy flnlshed, concluded cases were submlLLed Lo Lhe resldenL, and 33
unflnlshed cases were submlLLed Lo Lhe ollce lnLegrlLy Commlsslon.
201
resldenL nasheed
offlclally abollshed Lhe 8ureau ln november 2009 on Lhe grounds LhaL oLher lndependenL
bodles had been esLabllshed Lo lnqulre abouL and lnvesLlgaLe publlc complalnLs.
202


lollce loteqtlty commlssloo
Accordlng Lo Lhe Maldlves' reporL Lo Lhe un Puman 8lghLs Councll ln 2010, Lhe ollce
lnLegrlLy Commlsslon (lC) was flrsL esLabllshed on 31 AugusL 2006 by resldenLlal
uecree.
203
lL was reconsLlLuLed ln 2009 afLer Lhe passage of Lhe ollce AcL ln 2008, wlLh
wlder powers and greaLer lndependence. lLs mandaLe ls Lo loJepeoJeotly lovestlqote
vlolotloo of lows ot teqolotloos omooq tbe pollce, ooJ toke octloo lo occotJooce wltb low"
and Lo ptomote pobllc cooflJeoce ooJ coovlctloo towotJs tbe pollce setvlce".
204
ln AugusL
2011, lL reporLed LhaL lL had tecelveJ 101 complolots, of wblcb 46 wete coocloJeJ ooJ two
seot to tbe ltosecotot Ceoetols Offlce" and opptoxlmotely 98 petceot of lts
tecommeoJotloos moJe to tbe bome mlolstty ovet tbe lost two yeots boJ oot beeo
lmplemeoteJ".
203
Powever, lL ls noL known Lo have lnvesLlgaLed any cases from before lLs
esLabllshmenL ln 2006.
lteslJeotlol commlssloo
ln 2009 resldenL nasheed seL up a flve-member resldenLlal Commlsslon Lo lnvesLlgaLe
allegaLlons of LorLure, alLhough lL appears LhaL lLs mandaLe was llmlLed Lo cases of LorLure
commlLLed afLer 2008.
206
ln May 2011, Lhe Commlsslon was reconsLlLuLed wlLh Lhree

199
lbld., pars. 3.20-21.
200
lncludlng Lhe offlcer who had ralsed serlous concerns abouL LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL aL Lhe prlson wlLh hls
superlor ln !uly 2003, as referred Lo above.
201
8eporL of SubcomlLLee on Lhe revenLlon of 1orLure, above n.192, para. 48. lL ls noL clear wheLher Lhese 33
cases were parL of Lhe lnlLlal 69 cases referred Lo.
202
Maldlves Common Core uocumenL, above n.194, para. 137.
203
8eporL of Lhe Maldlves Lo Lhe unlversal erlodlc 8evlew, above n.11, para. 23.
204
ollce AcL, 2008, s. 19. lblJ.
203
2011 uS ueparLmenL of SLaLe reporL, above n.191.
206
See Mladhu ually, 'resldenL appolnLs a resldenLlal Commlsslon Lo lnvesLlgaLe complalnLs of LorLure ln Lhe
43

members, lncludlng one of Lhe lnlLlal members. 1here were reporLs LhaL lL was Laklng evldence
from vlcLlms of LorLure, and had evldence LhaL tottote, lobomooe tteotmeot locloJloq pbyslcol
ooJ psycboloqlcol coetcloo, lo some coses tootomooot to Jeotb tbot tbe lomotes wete
sobjecteJ to lo tbe fotmet teqlme wete Jooe ooJet o wlJely ploooeJ system".
207
AL Lhe same
Llme, phoLographs of prlsoners LorLured ln cusLody were leaked Lo Lhe press showlng men held
ln cages, chalned Lo coconuL palms and lylng on blood-soaked maLLresses.
208


1he lnvesLlgaLlng offlcers of Lhe Commlsslon were pollce offlcers, and lL reporLedly Look
sLaLemenLs from around flfLy prevlous deLalnees, lncludlng aL leasL one of Lhose lnLervlewed
for Lhls pro[ecL.
209
Powever, Lhere was no apparenL effecLlve follow-up and lL appears LhaL Lhe
Commlsslon has now been dlsbanded.
210


Cne case whlch had a hlgh proflle aL Lhe Commlsslon was Lhe alleged dlsappearance of a
prlsoner called Abdulla Anees 'Albalhey', who ls referred Lo ln some of Lhe LesLlmonles.
lbrahlm uldl sald LhaL he was omooq tbose wbo wete beoteo to Jeotb" by Lhe auLhorlLles.
Accordlng Lo uldl Albalhey was:

.tottoteJ o lot. jne] wos booJcoffeJ bebloJ bls bock ooJ JtoqqeJ otoooJ. l koow tbot
Alybolbey wos kept lo CoomooJboo. Aboot . slx to elqbt Joys lotet, Albolbey wos oo looqet
seeo lo CoomooJboo. wbot boppeoeJ to Alybolbey ls oot koowo. 1beo we wete oskloq
wbete Alybolbey wos. we JlJot koow wbeo be wos tokeo owoy. ne soJJeoly
JlsoppeoteJ.
211

lbrahlm uldl sald LhaL Lhe Slfaln suggesLed Lo oLher prlsoners LhaL Lhey had a role ln hls
dlsappearance. 1he prlsoners were Lold:

.uoot yoo koow wbot boppeoeJ to Alybolbey? wbeo we Jlq o bole bete ooJ Jtop yoo loto
lt ooJ covet lt wltb sooJ, ooJ qet o smoll boot ftom bete ooJ tle o tope yoo wlll Jlsoppeot.
1bls ls sometbloq tbot wos solJ lo ftoot of oboot 100 people.
212

An lnvesLlgaLlon lnLo LhaL case was launched by Lhe pollce, buL ln May 2012 lL was reporLed
LhaL pollce had concluded Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon, and declded LhaL Anees had noL dled whlle ln
prlson. 1he flndlng was LhaL he had lasL been seen whlle he was on an lsland, senLenced Lo
banlshmenL.
213

nomoo klqbts commlssloo of tbe MolJlves
1he Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of Lhe Maldlves (P8CM) ls anoLher body Lo whlch many vlcLlms
of LorLure have looked Lo lnvesLlgaLe Lhelr clalms of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL. Powever, Lhose

prlsons', 6 Aprll 2009, avallable aL:
hLLp://www.mladhu.com/2009/04/local-news/presldenL-appolnLs-a-presldenLlal-commlsslon-Lo-lnvesLlgaLe-
complalnLs-of-LorLure-ln-Lhe-prlsons-9790/.
207
Mladhu ually, 'lnmaLes were sub[ecLed Lo LorLure under a wldely planned sysLem - ollce', 23 May 2011,
avallable aL: hLLp://www.mladhu.com/2011/03/local-news/lnmaLes-were-sub[ecLed-Lo-LorLure-under-a-wldely-
planned-sysLem-pollce/.
208
1he naLlonal, 'lreedom ls sLlll aL sLake ln Lhe Lourlsm nlrvana of Lhe Maldlves', 2 SepLember 2011, avallable aL:
hLLp://www.LhenaLlonal.ae/news/world/asla-paclflc/freedom-ls-sLlll-aL-sLake-ln-Lhe-Lourlsm-nlrvana-of-Lhe-
maldlves#full.
209
1Sl-004, p.10
210
ersonal communlcaLlon beLween AmlnaLh na[eeb and a prevlous member of Lhe Commlsslon, 6 !une 2012.
211
1Sl-00002, p.8
212
1Sl-002, p.9.
213
Ahmed nazeer, 'Caamaadhoo prlson bones noL Abdulla Anees 'Albalhey', say pollce', Mlolvoo News, 13 May
2012.

46


lnLervlewed who had approached Lhe Commlsslon - elLher whlle ln deLenLlon or slnce Lhelr
release - have noL had any redress from lL Lo daLe.
214
lurLhermore, Lhe auLhors are noL aware
of any case ln whlch Lhe Commlsslon has recommended any acLlon ln relaLlon Lo Lhe
prosecuLlon of Lhe perpeLraLors or provlslon of reparaLlon Lo Lhe vlcLlms, alLhough Lhere ls
hope LhaL Lhls may change ln Lhe near fuLure (as Lo whlch, see furLher below).



LsLabllshed ln uecember 2003, and now an lndependenL consLlLuLlonal body, lLs role ls Lo
promoLe human rlghLs and Lo lnvesLlgaLe any complalnLs of breach of human rlghLs. lL ls also
mandaLed Lo vlslL places where lndlvlduals are lncarceraLed or deLalned under a [udlclal
pronouncemenL or lawful order, monlLor and lnqulre lnLo Lhelr welfare and make
recommendaLlons Lo relevanL governmenL agencles as Lo Lhelr LreaLmenL.
213
AlLhough lL has
been very acLlve ln many areas, Lhe nP8C has a very wlde remlL, and Lhe governmenL has
acknowledged LhaL lL faces a number of challenges ln carrylng ouL lLs mandaLe. Accordlng Lo
lLs 2010 reporL Lo un Puman 8lghLs mechanlsms, Lhese challenges lnclude a .teoJeocy fot
qovetomeot Jepottmeots to lqoote tbe commlssloos lopot ooJ oploloos, leqol oocettoloty os
to wbetbet nkcM coo oppeot lo coott oo bebolf of vlctlms, ot eveo sobmlt oploloos to tbe
cootts, ooJ vety low toke-op of NlM tecommeoJotloos.
216

lnlLlally, Lhe Commlsslon Look Lhe poslLlon LhaL lL dld noL have Lhe [urlsdlcLlon Lo lnvesLlgaLe
complalnLs from acLs arlslng prlor Lo 2000. 1hls ls because ArLlcle 33(a) of Lhe P8CM AcL
appears Lo llmlL lLs [urlsdlcLlon Lo evenLs from !anuary 2000. Powever, ArLlcle 33(c) provldes
furLher LhaL Lhe AcL does oot resLrlcL Lhe Commlsslon from lnqulrlng lnLo a complalnL prlor Lo
!anuary 2000, where Lhe Commlsslon deems such a complalnL ls necessary Lo be lnvesLlgaLed
based on lLs naLure and severlLy.

1hls ls reflecLed ln Lhe experlences of Lhose lnLervlewed. Some sald LhaL Lhey had soughL Lo
lodge Lhelr cases wlLh Lhe nP8C slnce Lhelr release, buL were Lold LhaL lL does noL have Lhe
mandaLe Lo lnvesLlgaLe old cases. lbrahlm uldl, who was held for 12 years and sub[ecLed Lo
prolonged and sysLemaLlc LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL sald LhaL when he made hls complalnL:
1be lteslJeot of tbe nomoo klqbts commlssloo solJ tbot tbey bove petmlssloo to lovestlqote
coses wblcb boJ occotteJ lo tbe lost two yeots, ooJ tbot tbey Jo oot bove petmlssloo to
lovestlqote ooytbloq tbot boppeoeJ befote tbot. . [Pe sald LhaL] we ote vety soJ tbot lt ls
oot posslble to lovestlqote tbose mottets. 1be cose of lbtoblm ulJl ls ftom oo eotllet tlme ooJ
tbey coooot lovestlqote lt. l tolJ blm tbot l boJ beotJ tbot tbls ls oo loJepeoJeot lostltotloo
ooJ tbot lt ls posslble fot tbem to look loto ooy cose. ne solJ tbot be bos beotJ tbls too - tbot
lt ls oo loJepeoJeot lostltotloo ooJ tbot tbey coo lovestlqote, bot tbot ls ooly beotsoy.
217

15l-002, p.10

Zaud Ahmed, who was arresLed aL Lhe age of 13 and sub[ecLed Lo LorLure, was Lold Lhe same
Lhlng.
wbeo l weot to tepott tbls to tbe nomoo klqbts commlssloo, tbey solJ tbot tbey coooot
lovestlqote o cose tbot ls so olJ. 1bot tbe low soys tbot coses tbot ote beyooJ o cettolo tlme
coooot be lovestlqoteJ. 5o wbot coo ooe Jo?
218


214
ln relaLlon Lo complalnLs ralsed wlLh Lhe P8CM whlle sLlll ln deLenLlon see, eg. 1Sl-008, p.4, 1Sl-026, pp. 4-7.
213
See Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon AcL 2006, secLlons 20-21.
216
Maldlves Common Core uocumenL, above n. 194, p.24.
217
1ranslaLor's noLe: 1he word hearsay" used here - buL lL could also be lnLerpreLed as LhaL ls [usL nolse" ln
conLexL.
218
1Sl-004, p.10.
47


Powever, Lhere are hopes LhaL Lhls poslLlon may be changlng. ln Lhe Maldlves reporL Lo un
Puman 8lghLs mechanlsms ln 2010, lL was reporLed LhaL Lhe Lhen-resldenL Mohamed
nasheed had colleJ oo tbe nomoo klqbts commlssloo of tbe MolJlves to loJepeoJeotly
lovestlqote oboses petpettoteJ by tbe fotmet teqlme".
219
ln uecember 2011, resldenL
nasheed sLaLed ln a publlc speech LhaL he hoped LhaL Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of Lhe
Maldlves would conducL a foll-fleJqeJ lovestlqotloo of tottote oqolost lomotes lo tbe
MolJlves".
220
Slnce LhaL Llme, Lhe 1vA ls aware of one case LhaL was lodged wlLh Lhe
Commlsslon and prevlously re[ecLed on Lhe grounds LhaL lL occurred prlor Lo 2004, buL whlch
has now been accepLed for lnvesLlgaLlon. 1he famlly of Lhe vlcLlm ln LhaL case was lnformed ln
early 2012 LhaL Lhe Commlsslon has accepLed Lhe case as a valld vlolaLlon of human rlghLs, and
LhaL Lhe case was ready Lo be senL Lo Lhe rosecuLor Ceneral's offlce. 8ecenLly however, Lhe
famlly soughL an updaLe and was Lold LhaL lL was sLlll unable Lo submlL Lhe case Lo Lhe
rosecuLor Ceneral's offlce.
221


Cn 6 lebruary 2012, Lhe 1vA lodged Lhe 24 LesLlmonles lL had Laken LhaL have been
Lranscrlbed and whlch are Lhe basls of Lhls reporL wlLh Lhe Commlsslon, asklng lL Lo lnvesLlgaLe
Lhe cases and Lo Lake approprlaLe acLlon. Slnce LhaL daLe Lhe serlous pollLlcal crlsls ln Lhe
Maldlves has been Lhe focus of Lhe Commlsslon's work, and Lhe 1vA had noL been lnformed of
any acLlon belng Laken on Lhe cases lL submlLLed. ln !une 2012 Lhe 1vA soughL an updaLe as Lo
any progress wlLh Lhe cases and was lnformed LhaL Lhey had been forwarded Lo sLaff wlLhln
Lhe Commlsslon Lo conslder, buL LhaL no furLher updaLe was avallable.
222
1he 1vA and
8Lu8LSS wlll conLlnue Lo call on Lhe Commlsslon Lo Lake acLlon on Lhe cases ralsed ln Lhls
reporL, and oLher complalnLs of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL ralsed wlLh lL.

coott
ln relaLlon Lo crlmlnal charges, Lhe only prosecuLlons for LorLure or lll-LreaLmenL of whlch Lhe
auLhors are aware are Lhose ln relaLlon Lo Lvan naseem's case, and Lhe 2008 prosecuLlon of
Lwo offlcers for LorLure commlLLed ln 2006 (see above).
Marlyam Manlke, Lhe moLher of Lvan naseem, also flled a clvll sulL agalnsL Lhe mlnlsLry of
defense over Lhe kllllng of her son aL Maafushl prlson. Accordlng Lo Marlyam Lhe proceedlngs
were very slow, and frusLraLlng:

1bot wos to qet compeosotloo fot tbe psycboloqlcol ooJ pbyslcol ooJ oll tbe tottote l weot
tbtooqb Joe to tbe motJet of my soo. 1be cose wos sobmltteJ to clolm compeosotloo of 8.5
mlllloo toflyoo [approxlmaLely uSu 360,000]. lt wos sobmltteJ to tbe clvll coott. 5o l weot
tbete too, oboot 6 ot so tlmes. vety Joy, tbey woolJ soy some tbloqs. 1bls coott beotloq
JlJot qo lo ooy meooloqfol woy. At fltst, tbey eveo solJ lt coolJ oot be sobmltteJ, ooJ olso
solJ tbot lt coo be sobmltteJ. 1beo tbe woy lt boppeoeJ wos olso vety Jlfflcolt - to qet lt loto
coott. jlt wos] sloce tbls qovetomeot come lo.. ... 1bot lowyet woolJ koow bettet bow tbloqs
weot. l become vety feJ op.
223



219
8eporL of Lhe Maldlves Lo Lhe unlversal erlodlc 8evlew, above n.11, par. 11.
220
Mladhu ually, 'resldenL expresses Popes for lnvesLlgaLlon of 1orLure agalnsL lnmaLes', 11 uecember 2011,
avallable aL: hLLp://www.mladhu.com/2011/12/local-news/presldenL-expresses-hopes-for-lnvesLlgaLlon-of-LorLure-
agalnsL-lnmaLes/.
221
ersonal communlcaLlon Lo AmlnaLh na[eeb, 6 !une 2012.
222
ersonal communlcaLlons wlLh member of Lhe 1vA, 14 !une 2012.
223
1Sl-023, p.13.

48


Accordlng Lo Marlyam's lawyer, Lhe case sLalled afLer he requesLed documenLs essenLlal for
Lhe case from Lhe sLaLe, lncludlng Lhe uncensored reporL of Lhe resldenLlal Commlsslon, buL lL
refused Lo cooperaLe. 8y LhaL Llme Marlyam had lefL Lhe counLry, and Lhe lawyer wlLhdrew
from Lhe case as he could proceed no furLher wlLhouL Lhe relevanL documenLs.
224


CLhers, whlle lnlLlally lnLeresLed ln flllng a case, have Laken Lhe poslLlon LhaL Lhey do noL LrusL
Lhe CourLs Lo glve a falr declslon, dlssuadlng Lhem from proceedlng.
223

c. Conclusion
1hese experlences show LhaL Lhere has been no [olned-up response Lo LorLure LhaL was
commlLLed ln Lhe Maldlves prlor Lo Lhe democraLlc LranslLlon. AlLhough some mechanlsms are
or were ln place whlch could have examlned Lhe lssue, some of Lhese have been dlsconLlnued
afLer a shorL Llme, and oLhers appear Lo have Laken Lhe vlew LhaL Lhey do noL have Lhe
mandaLe or resources Lo address Lhese lssues. WlLhouL clear pollLlcal dlrecLlon, Lhere has been
a lack of clarlLy on lnsLlLuLlonal responslblllLy and commlLmenL for addresslng Lhe lssue.

1hls experlence shows Lhe plLfalls of uslng ad hoc or shorL Lerm mechanlsms wlLh a llmlLed or
unclear mandaLe Lo aLLempL Lo address Lhe legacy of LorLure ln Lhe Maldlves. 1o be effecLlve
such mechanlsms musL have pollLlcal commlLmenL, a wlde mandaLe, sufflclenL resources and
know-how. ln Lhe meanLlme, and unLll an effecLlve mechanlsm ls ln place, lL ls necessary Lo
vesL Lhe exlsLlng lnsLlLuLlonal mechanlsms wlLh Lhe approprlaLe resources, powers and know-
how Lo respond Lo allegaLlons of pasL LorLure wlLhln Lhelr own mandaLes.


224
ersonal communlcaLlon Lo AmlnaLh na[eeb, 6 !une 2012.
223
1Sl-012, p. 27.
49


VII. 1nL NLLD ICk IUS1ICL
wbo coo l qo to, oboot tbe tbloqs tbot boJ boppeoeJ to me? l JlJ oot qet o teply to
my lettet. lt wos oot tokeo ooy ootlce of. l bove tolkeJ oboot tbese tbloqs especlolly
toJoy, qlvloq my cooseot ooJ becoose l feel jostlfleJ lo Joloq so. 1bot ls becoose lo
tbls coootty, some people most tecelve jostlce. wboevet lt moy be, tbe petsoo wbo
floJs jostlce wlll be o qooJ petsoo.
226


Cne aspecL of Lhe lnLervlews was Lo ask vlcLlms Lhelr vlews abouL whaL Lhey would llke Lo see
happen ln relaLlon Lo Lhelr cases. Agaln, recognlslng LhaL Lhey are Laken from a small sample,
Lhe exLracLs below glve an lndlcaLlon of Lhe range of dlfferenL vlews, and some conslsLenL
Lhemes LhaL have become apparenL.

lL was sLrlklng LhaL nearly all of Lhose lnLervlewed spoke of wanLlng Lo see [usLlce done for
whaL had happened Lo Lhem - for many of Lhem LhaL was Lhe sole lmpeLus behlnd Lhem
recordlng Lhelr LesLlmony. Powever, whaL [usLlce meanL - sponLaneously - was dlfferenL Lo
dlfferenL people. lor some, lL was flndlng a forum ln whlch Lo express whaL had happened, for
oLhers lL was Lhe chance Lo rebulld Lhelr llves, and for oLhers acknowledgmenL from Lhe wlder
communlLy of whaL had happened Lo Lhem and Lo oLhers. lor some, compensaLlon was
lmporLanL Lo help cover cosLs of medlcal LreaLmenL. lor a number, lL was very lmporLanL Lo
flnd ouL why Lhey were LargeLed ln Lhe way Lhey were, and who was responslble. Some soughL
prosecuLlon of Lhe perpeLraLors, whlle oLhers were relucLanL for LhaL paLh Lo be pursued.

8elow, ln Lhe survlvors' own words, are some of Lhe hopes Lhey expressed for redresslng Lhe
wrong LhaL has been done.

kebu||d|ng ||ves

o 1be effotts of toJoys qovetomeot to moke some kloJ of o fotote fot people llke me, ls
qooJ. l olso woot tbot kloJ of cbooce. l Joot bove o Jeslte to stoJy. l woot to leoto
some sklll, some wotk ooJ some toleot ooJ qo fotwotJ.
227


ub||c acknow|edgement

o 1bey seoteoceJ me to 17 yeots lo joll oboot [a] mlssloq oeckloce. lollowloq tbe
seoteocloq, tbe qolJ oeckloce wos foooJ lo tbe possessloo of [someone else] so
Moomooo AbJol Coyyoom potJooeJ tbot seoteoce. My wbole llfe wos JesttoyeJ
tbtooqb oojost poolsbmeot. l become ftee sloce tbls (cotteot) qovetomeot come lo.
Aftet setvloq 12 yeots of my seoteoce, wblle l wos lo tbe cell tbe moo lo tbe oext cell
oskeJ me fot o blJl [local clgareLLe] wblcb l qove to blm ooJ tbey seoteoceJ me fot tbls
- two mootbs boose ottest ooJ two mootbs joll ooJ l boJ setveJ tbot os well. l woot
tbese eveots to be pobllcly ooooooceJ.
228



226
1Sl-001, p.10.
227
1Sl-003 p.9.
228
1Sl-002, p.10.

30


o l woot evetytbloq tbot l bove solJ to be oseJ by tbe meJlo to lofotm evety cltlzeo
tbtooqboot tbe coootty. l woot to toke tbese lssoes ooJ otteoJ beotloqs lo coott ooJ
woot to bove tbese eveots lovestlqoteJ lo wbotevet woy lt ls posslble to Jo.
229


o l woot to soy tbot eveo tbooqb tbete ote some people wbo Jo oot belleve tbot tbe
ptevloos qovetomeot cooJocteJ tottote ooJ tbloqs, l om someooe wbo expetleoceJ
ooJ soffeteJ tbls. l commltteJ oo ctlme bot wos fltst tokeo wltb oo occosotloo. l bove
tbe stotemeot tbot l qove ooJ bow tbose tbloqs wete booJleJ lo tbe cootts. l fltst weot
os o yoooq petsoo wbo JlJ oot commlt o ctlme. AoJ wblle l wos tbete, l wos tottoteJ o
lot. 5ome people lo tbls coootty toJoy belleve tbot tbe ptevloos qovetomeot boJ oot
cooJocteJ socb ctlmes ooJ tottoteJ people. 1bot ls oot sometbloq l belleve.
230


know|ng the truth

o l woot to oJJ - l wlll qlve wbotevet osslstooce l coo to tbe wotk tbot yoo ote Joloq.
1bot ls becoose, tbe tottote l soffeteJ wos Jellbetotely lofllcteJ oo me by some people,
tbot l boJ tecelveJ oojost poolsbmeot, l woot to koow wby l wos qlveo socb o
poolsbmeot. . lt ls oot koowo wbo ote qollty lo tbls. . l woolJ ptefet lf socb people ote
btooqbt to jostlce.
231


o l tblok ooy bomoo beloq, befote tbe eoJ jof tbelt llfe] bovloq tecelveJ oojost
poolsbmeot llke tbot, woolJ woot to floJ oot wby tbls boJ boppeoeJ, woolJot tbey?
1bot ls o pott of oot ootote. 1betefote, l olso woot to koow wltb wbot objectlve ooJ
wby l boJ beeo qlveo tbose poolsbmeots ooJ tbot tottote. l olso woot to floJ oot oboot
tbls. lo oJJltloo, os o MolJlvloo cltlzeo, lo tbls coootty lo tbe fotote, l olso Jo oot woot
ooy cltlzeo to be oojostly poolsbeJ, tottoteJ ot fot sometbloq llke tbls to boppeo. Also,
my cbllJteo Jo oot koow oboot tbls kloJ of tbloq. l olso woot lt to be tbot jostlce ls
sometbloq tbot ls lo tbls wbole coootty, fot evetyooe to koow ooJ fot evetyooe to bove
jostlce.
232


o l olso woot tbe lotetootloool commoolty ooJ otqoolsotloos wotkloq to ptotect bomoo
tlqbts to koow tbot socb blq ctlmes boJ boppeoeJ lo tbe MolJlves, ooJ to ptopetly look
loto wby tbese tbloqs boJ boppeoeJ ooJ to lovestlqote tbe people wbo JlJ tbese tbloqs
ooJ fot ptopet octloo to be tokeo oqolost tbem. lo ttotb, l om boppy tbot we ote
qettloq oo oppottoolty llke tbls. lot tbese volces to be beotJ lo tbe lotetootloool
commoolty olso. ltevloosly, tbese tbloqs wete kept sectet. lo teollty, we JlJ oot bove
tbe cootoqe to tolk oboot tbese tbloqs tbeo. we wete tolJ oot to tolk oboot lt befote
tbey teleoseJ os. AoJ we fotqot. 5tlll, we Jo oot tolk oboot tbls. lo ttotb, we Jo oot.
juoe to tbot] we boJ oot tolkeJ oboot lt ooJ tbls ls tbe fltst tlme l bove tolkeJ oboot
tbls. .! letbops lo tbe MolJlves too, cltlzeos ooJ people most olso koow, tbot tbese
tbloqs boJ boppeoeJ lo tbe post ooJ socb tbloqs boJ occotteJ lo tbe jolls - tbese ote
teolltles tbot wete tbete to see.
233



229
1Sl-002, p.10.
230
1Sl-003,p.10.
231
1Sl-010, p.6.
232
1Sl-012, p.9. 1ranslaLor's noLe: uhlvehl words used are lnsaafu gal Lhlben" - exacL LranslaLlon would be Lo sLay
ln [usLlce"
233
1Sl-009, pp. 4-3.
31

rosecut|on of the perpetrators

o lt ls oot koowo wbo ote qollty lo tbls. . l woolJ ptefet lf socb people ote btooqbt to
jostlce.
234


o l woolJ oot soy be jtbe ptevloos lteslJeot MobomeJ NosbeeJ] ls Joloq o qooJ tbloq ot
oll jby oot potsoloq ptosecotloo of tbe fotmet teqlme]. lt ls oot oecessoty to ollow oo
evll petsoo to be olloweJ to qo os o ftee petsoo ooJ ptovlJeJ wltb tbe peoples mooey.
As o ptevloos tolet, tbete ote poolsbmeots lo tbls coootty tbot be bos to be qlveo. ne ls
oo evll petsoo wbo boJ kllleJ people ooJ Jooe oll sotts of tbloqs. 1bot ls bow tbloqs
qo.
233


o lf tbey see me lo Mol, tbey woolJ blJe wbeo tbey see me. l tolJ tbem ot ubooolJboo
tbot wltb tbe qtoce of CoJ, l woolJ escope. Oo tbot Joy, l woolJ teolly sbow tbem.
veo oow, l boJ seeo tbem ooe Joy. Oo tbe Joy l sow tbem, tbey blJ ooJ too off. 8ot l
Jo oot woot to poolsb jtbem] oow. 1bot ls, wbot boppeoeJ wos - tbot wos bow tbloqs
boppeoeJ, o lot of tottote boppeoeJ.".
236


AnoLher man sald ln hls lnLervlew LhaL he was proceedlng wlLh Lrylng Lo brlng a crlmlnal
prosecuLlon ln Lhe CourLs agalnsL cerLaln people who had dlrecLly lnfllcLed LorLure on hlm.
Powever, slnce Lhe lnLervlew, and before lnsLlLuLlng proceedlngs, he had been approached by
some of Lhe relevanL lndlvlduals and Lhey had apologlsed Lo hlm for whaL Lhey had done. lor
hlm LhaL was very lmporLanL, and he no longer wanLed Lo pursue prosecuLlons agalnsL Lhem.
237


Compensat|on:

o 1bot ls becoose l coooot belleve lt ls posslble to qet jostlce fot tbls. l om oot soyloq tbot
Aool jfotmet lteslJeot NosbeeJ] ls boJ jfot oot ptlotltlsloq tbls lssoe]. j8ot]
je]vetytbloq Aool Joes lo bls tole ls oot qooJ eltbet. 1bot ls becoose tbete ls oo ooe wbo
ls completely petfect. l come oot oqolost tbls tottote. Aftet comloq oot, l coolJ oot qet
compeosotloo fot tbe tottote lo ooy woy. l Jo oot belleve we ote qettloq
jcompeosotloo]. lt Joes oot eveo occot to me yet, tbot ooyooe woolJ qet
compeosotloo fot tottote. 8ot l vety mocb woot compeosotloo fot tottote. AoJ l woot
to moke oote tbot . oboot tbe lssoe of beloq blt lo my ptlvote potts, lt wos [a MlnlsLer
from Lhe pre-2008 reglme] wbo ptovlJeJ fot my meJlcol tteotmeot fot tbot llloess. l
weot jfot tteotmeot] wltb bls osslstooce. l moJe ooJ oppolotmeot ooJ weot to see blm,
becoose l coolJ oot eoJote lt, ooJ l tolJ blm tbls wos wbot wos boppeoloq to me ooJ be
seot me fot tteotmeot ot bls expeose.
238


o Notbloq mote - tbls ls lt. l woot jostlce. l olso woot compeosotloo fot tbe tottote l
soffeteJ. l olso woot jostlce. l woot to come oot jto soppott] ooytbloq Jooe oqolost
tottote.
239


o l woot to qet compeosotloo fot tbe tottote lofllcteJ oo my fomlly, my cbllJteo ooJ my
bosbooJ. l woolJ tbook wboevet btloqs tbls lo ftoot of jostlce.
240


234
1Sl-010, p.6.
233
1Sl-001, p.10.
236
1Sl-026, p. 8.
237
ersonal communlcaLlon Lo AmlnaLh na[eeb, 6 !une 2012.
238
1Sl-023, p.16.
239
1Sl-023, p.17.

32



!"#1$",#.$#%0,,&*.*'#0'0.*#

o l woot tbls kloJ of ctoelty - psycboloqlcol tottote - to be ellmlooteJ lo tbls coootty, ooJ
fot lt to become o qooJ, peocefol coootty tbot ls cleooseJ ooJ o ploce fot bomoo beloqs
to llve lo - l woot tbot vety mocb. l Joot woot ooyooe else to expetleoce wbot
boppeoeJ to me. 1bot ls becoose lo fotote, l woot jostlce. 1o oot ollow tbls to be
tepeoteJ. 1bls ls oot sometbloq l belleve lo. lt ls oot jost beloq blt tbot ls tottote. l
belleve jtbot wbot l soffeteJ] ls o vety blq tottote. 1bot ls wby l Joot woot tbls tottote
to be lofllcteJ oo ooyooe lo tbls coootty.
241


240
1Sl-026, p.14.
241
1Sl-016, p.7.
33


VIII. CCNCLUSICN & kLCCMMLNDA1ICNS
ln uecember 2011, navl lllay, un Plgh Commlssloner for Puman 8lghLs, vlslLed Lhe Maldlves
and gave a speech Lo arllamenL ln whlch she addressed Lhe dlfflculL, buL vlLal, Lask ahead of
Lhe counLry Lo meanlngfully respond Lo and esLabllsh accounLablllLy for pasL human rlghLs
vlolaLlons. Accordlng Lo Lhe Plgh Commlssloner:
. tbe Jemoctotlc ttoosltloos lo tbe MlJJle ost ooJ Nottb Aftlco bove tolseJ poestloos of
bow to meooloqfolly oJJtess ooJ estobllsb occoootoblllty fot post bomoo tlqbts vlolotloos, os
well os testtoctote tbe tole of low to pteveot tbe tecotteoce of vlolotloos. ... AJJtessloq tbe
post ls ofteo o compllcoteJ polltlcol Jllemmo, bot we sboolJ oevet lose slqbt of tbe tlqbt
vlctlms bove to ttotb, jostlce ooJ teJtess.
1be ttotb ls tbot wltboot o ttoospoteot polltlcol ttoosltloo, locloJloq o comptebeoslve
opptoocb to oJJtess tbe vlolotloos commltteJ by ptevloos teqlmes, ttoosltloool Jemoctocles
wlll foce cootlooeJ cbolleoqes lo tbe potb towotJs Jemoctocy, tespect fot bomoo tlqbts ooJ
eoJloq lmpoolty.
A wlJe tooqe of ptocesses ooJ mecboolsms exlst lo otJet to eosote occoootoblllty, setve
jostlce ooJ ocbleve tecooclllotloo. ... lo my meetloq wltb tbe lteslJeot tbls week, l bove
otqeJ blm to leoJ o ootloool coosoltotloo oo tbls lmpottoot sobject.
242

LvenLs slnce LhaL Llme ln Lhe Maldlves have made lL even more dlfflculL for Lhese lssues Lo be
glven prlorlLy and for consensus Lo be reached on how Lhey should be addressed. Powever,
addresslng pasL vlolaLlons and Lhelr legacy remaln cruclal - boLh Lo provlde vlcLlms wlLh Lhelr
rlghLs, and Lo fully face Lhe lssues LhaL allowed Lhe vlolaLlons Lo occur ln Lhe flrsL place so LhaL
lL can be ensured LhaL Lhey do noL happen agaln.
1he Maldlves has obllgaLlons under lnLernaLlonal law Lo respond Lo Lhe vlolaLlons LhaL have
Laken place, and Lo provlde vlcLlms wlLh a remedy. 1he obllgaLlons lnclude a duLy Lo
Lhoroughly lnvesLlgaLe whaL happened, Lo hold Lhose responslble accounLable, and Lo ensure
Lo Lhe exLenL posslble Lhe damage done ls repalred. As Lhe Plgh Commlssloner sLressed, Lhere
are dlfferenL ways ln whlch Lhese alms have been achleved ln LranslLlonal conLexLs.
As prevlously unsuccessful aLLempLs Lo address some of Lhese cases show, any meanlngful
response Lo Lhese vlolaLlons requlres pollLlcal commlLmenL, slgnlflcanL resources, and courage
on Lhe parL of Lhose leadlng and parLlclpaLlng ln lL. lL ls cruclal LhaL debaLe Lakes place aL Lhe
naLlonal level on how Lo address Lhese lssues, and LhaL Lhe volces of Lhe survlvors are heard ln
LhaL debaLe.
ln Lhe shorL-Lerm absence of an overarchlng and sufflclenLly resourced mechanlsm Lo respond
Lo Lhe full gravlLy of Lhese vlolaLlons, however, Lhere are lnsLlLuLlons already ln place whlch
should respond Lo Lhe sLorles of survlvors ralsed ln Lhls reporL. 1he Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon

242
8eproduced ln webslLe by ermanenL Mlsslon of Lhe 8epubllc of Lhe Maldlves Lo Lhe unlLed naLlons Cfflce aL Ceneva,
'keynoLe Address Lo Lhe eople's Ma[lls - navl lllay un Plgh Commlssloner for Puman 8lghLs - 8espondlng Lo Lhe asL
whlle Safeguardlng Lhe luLure: 1he Challenge of roLecLlng Puman 8lghLs ln Lhe conLexL of uemocraLlc 1ranslLlon"',
1hursday 24 november 2011, avallable aL:
hLLp://www.maldlvesmlsslon.ch/lndex.php?ld=30&Lx_LLnews38LL_news3u=372&Lx_LLnews38backld3u=18&cPash
=723302a6fe.

34


of Lhe Maldlves and Lhe courLs are lnsLlLuLlons LhaL have Lhe mandaLe Lo respond Lo allegaLlons
of serlous human rlghLs vlolaLlons. 1he nP8C should prlorlLlse a number of hlgh proflle cases Lo
lnvesLlgaLe and, where sufflclenL evldence exlsLs, forward Lo Lhe CourLs for prosecuLlon and
Lhe provlslon of reparaLlon Lo Lhe vlcLlms. CourLs, meanwhlle, musL operaLe so as Lo properly
and expedlLlously hear complalnLs broughL by or on behalf of vlcLlms, Lo adopL a proper
approach Lo Lhe burden and sLandard of proof whlch Lakes lnLo accounL Lhe SLaLe's llkely
possesslon of much of Lhe relevanL lnformaLlon, and Lo ensure Lhe proLecLlon of Lhose brlnglng
clalms. ln Lhe conLexL of gross vlolaLlons of fundamenLal human rlghLs ln Lhe deLenLlon
conLexL, tbe botJeo of ptoof coooot test solely/olooe wltb/oo tbe ootbot of tbe
commoolcotloo, especlolly wbeo tbe ootbot ooJ tbe 5tote potty Jo oot bove epool occess to tbe
evlJeoce ooJ wbeo tbe 5tote potty ls ofteo lo sole possessloo of tbe televoot lofotmotloo".
243

Conslderlng Lhe flndlngs of Lhls reporL, and parLlcularly Lhe avallablllLy of evldence lndlcaLlng
paLLerns of wldespread LorLure over 30 years, and Lhe almosL compleLe lack of sLeps Lo hold
perpeLraLors accounLable, provlde reparaLlons, and lnLroduce reforms Lo prevenL recurrence,
Lhe 1vA and 8Lu8LSSS make Lhe followlng recommendaLlons:
!"#$%&#'"(&)*+&*$#
lnlLlaLe a naLlonal consulLaLlon wlLh a deflned Llmellne on addresslng pasL vlolaLlons ln llne
wlLh Lhe Maldlves' lnLernaLlonal obllgaLlons and consLlLuLlonal rlghLs, lncludlng
accounLablllLy of Lhe perpeLraLors, acknowledgmenL, LruLh-Lelllng mechanlsms, reparaLlon
for vlcLlms and leglslaLlve and lnsLlLuLlonal reforms almed aL prevenLlng Lhe recurrence of
LorLure. Survlvors' vlews should be fully consulLed and consldered ln developlng
parLlclpaLory mechanlsms. Clven hlsLorlc and currenL pollLlcal polarlsaLlon, conslderaLlon
should be glven Lo uslng lndlvlduals from ouLslde Lhe Maldlves as lnvesLlgaLors and
declslon makers ln any such process.

AL Lhe same Llme, ensure LhaL credlble allegaLlons of more recenL vlolaLlons of human rlghLs
are prompLly, effecLlvely and lmparLlally lnvesLlgaLed, LhaL Lhose responslble for
wrongdolng are broughL Lo accounL, and LhaL vlcLlms are provlded wlLh reparaLlon.

Lnsure LhaL lnsLlLuLlons, lncludlng Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of Lhe Maldlves, Lhe pollce
and Lhe courLs have sufflclenL lndependence and resources Lo effecLlvely respond Lo
allegaLlons of LorLure and lmplemenL Lhe prohlblLlon of LorLure ln llne wlLh Lhelr
responslblllLles and Lhelr mandaLes.

As an lnLerlm measure, provlde accesslble rehablllLaLlon servlces for vlcLlms who have ralsed
credlble allegaLlons of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL wlLhln Lhe Maldlves.

!"#,"-.$./0-#,0)$.&1##
lnlLlaLe dlalogue aL Lhe grassrooLs and parLy levels on Lhe lmporLance of addresslng Lhe
legacy of LorLure, lncludlng speclflc allegaLlons ralsed by vlcLlms, and mechanlsms by whlch
Lo do so.


243
1elltsloo v. kosslo, no. 888/1999, para. 7.3, 29 Aprll 2004, and sbooov v. uzbeklstoo, no. 1223/2003, para. 9.6,
22 !uly 2010.
33

lnclude addresslng Lhe rlghLs of vlcLlms of serlous human rlghLs vlolaLlons wlLhln parLy
plaLforms wlLh a vlew Lo esLabllshlng credlble mechanlsms Lo respond effecLlvely Lo
allegaLlons of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL.
#
!"#$%&#23+0*#4.'%$1#5"++.11."*#"6#$%&#70-8.(&1#

Make addresslng serlous lndlvldual allegaLlons of human rlghLs vlolaLlons a key prlorlLy, and
dedlcaLe speclflc resources Lo Lhls Lask.

CollaLe maLerlals gaLhered by pasL commlsslons and bodles whlch have consldered lssues of
LorLure ln deLenLlon, safeguard such maLerlals ln such a way as Lo ensure Lhelr
preservaLlon and Lhe safeLy of Lhose who have made complalnLs, and follow-up where
Lhose maLerlals provlde credlble evldence of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL.

roperly lnvesLlgaLe cases already submlLLed Lo Lhe Commlsslon, and where sufflclenL
evldence ls avallable, make recommendaLlons for prosecuLlon of Lhe perpeLraLors and
provlslon of reparaLlon Lo Lhe vlcLlms. Lnsure any proLecLlon concerns of Lhose lnvolved
are fully consldered and addressed effecLlvely.

!"#-"/0-#")'0*.10$."*1##
#
ConLlnue Lo collecL evldence of human rlghLs vlolaLlons wheLher from Lhe pasL or presenL
and, where vlcLlms wlsh Lo brlng a case, asslsL ln LhaL regard.

lully conslder proLecLlon concerns of Lhose who ralse allegaLlons of LorLure and lll-
LreaLmenL.

Lxamlne and fosLer dlalogue on dlfferenL mechanlsms Lo address human rlghLs vlolaLlons ln
LranslLlonal democracles.

!"#.*$&)*0$."*0-#")'0*.10$."*1#0*8#8"*")1##
#
SupporL Lralnlng governmenLal and clvll socleLy acLors, lncludlng docLors and lawyers, ln
documenLaLlon of LorLure and LorLure-relaLed llLlgaLlon aL Lhe domesLlc level.

SupporL sLrengLhenlng of Lhe [udlclal sysLem Lo ensure lLs lndependence and capaclLy ln
relaLlon Lo human rlghLs llLlgaLlon.

ConLlnue Lo encourage Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of Lhe Maldlves Lo lnvesLlgaLe
credlble allegaLlons of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL ralsed before lL, and Lhe governmenL Lo
Lake acLlon Lo address pasL vlolaLlons, and supporL Lhem wlLh Lhe necessary resources Lo
seL up mechanlsms requlred.

##

36


>/B*"D-&8'+&*$1#
1hls reporL ls based on lnLervlews recorded by AmlnaLh na[eeb of Lhe 1vA, and Lranscrlbed
and LranslaLed ln Lhe Maldlves by pro[ecL members who wlsh Lo remaln anonymous. lL was
prlmarlly wrlLLen by Sarah lulLon and Melanle Porn of 8Lu8LSS, wlLh asslsLance from
addlLlonal volunLeers ln Lhe Maldlves. AmlnaLh na[eeb, LuLz CeLLe and Carla lersLman
provlded edlLorlal asslsLance.
1he auLhors wlsh Lo slncerely Lhank Lhe survlvors of LorLure who so bravely shared Lhelr sLorles
wlLh us and Lhe wlder communlLy.

!
! "#$%#&! '($)#*)!(+!,(&)-&#! .#/(&)#%!)(&)-&#!0$%!1223)&#0)4#$)! 1$5-&6#7!&#+#&&#%!)(!
,81399:! Male ArresL, deLenLlon,
lnLerrogaLlon
8eaLen wlLh sLlcks and booLs lncludlng on genlLals, kerosene poured on hlm and
maLch llL, handcuffed Lo a Lree, bllndfolded, hands and feeL cuffed, LhreaLs and
obscenlLles, sLrlpped naked, forced Lo urlnaLe on and soll hlmself
8leedlng from genlLals, severe paln
all over, paln ln splne
,81399;! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon ulslocaLlon of knees, puLLlng ln Lhree holed sLock and lefL benL over for 1 monLh
and 17 days, sLrung up from a Lree
ulslocaLlon of knees, could noL
walk for 14 days, sores
,81399<! Male ueLenLlon Sleep deprlvaLlon, forced Lo Lhrow buckeLs of salL waLer onLo prlsoners Lled Lo
Lrees, beaLen (parLlcularly on Lhe splne), Lhrown lnLo Lhe sea, handcuffed and
Laken Lo a dark place aL nlghL, handcuffed Lo bars of Lhe cell, conflscaLed cloLhes,
puL LolleL buckeL on head and beaL hlm, Lled naked Lo a coconuL Lree and
sprayed wlLh a pressure gun, burned (lncludlng on Lhe penls),
8leedlng from anus, scars, achlng
body, noL physlcally flL
,81399=! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon uL ln sLocks for 3-4 days aL a Llme, Lhen 8-9 days, forced Lo waLch anoLher
prlsoner masLurbaLlng, beaLen, puL ln lsolaLlon cell wlLh 2 feeL square wlndow,
Lea Lhrown over legs Lo aLLracL anLs, Lhrown face down lnLo a hole dug lnLo Lhe
ground covered wlLh black oll, banlshed for 6 monLhs on convlcLlon
Lxpelled from school and noL
allowed Lo re-enrol
,81399>! uL ln lsolaLlon cell
,81399?! Male ueLenLlon 8llndfolded and handcuffed wlLh cable Lles, Laken aboard warshlp and Laken Lo
uhoonldhoo and deLalned, Laken for successlve LesLs.

,81399@! Male ueLenLlon ConsLanL nolse/muslc - sleep deprlvaLlon, denled medlclne, belng kepL naked
,81399A! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon 8eaLen wlLh wooden baLons, klcked wlLh booLs, handcuffed Lo a Lree for Lwo
nlghLs, LhreaLened Lo charge vlcLlm and hls glrlfrlend wlLh exLra-marlLal sex,
sexually assaulLed glrlfrlend, LorLured frlends and forced Lhem Lo confess
8leedlng
,81399B! Male ueLenLlon lnLlmldaLed and kepL ln lnhuman condlLlons, 4 people were kepL ln a Llny cell lncldenL occurred prlor Lo exams
and had an effecL on Lhelr
performance
C
D
D
E
F
G
1
H
I
!
!
8
J
K
K
C
.
L
!
M
N
!
,
M
.
,
J
.
E
!
O
!
1
P
P
3
,
.
E
C
,
K
E
F
,
!
.
E
D
M
.
,
E
G
!
!
,8139:9! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon lece of wood placed beLween legs and forced Lo squaL down wlLh Lwo people
saL on hls shoulders, done repeaLedly unLll he losL consclousness, placed ln
lsolaLlon cell and sLrung up by hls arms and lefL hanglng, beaLen, LhreaLs Lo klll or
ln[ure wlLh knlfe
Lemporary paralysaLlon of arms
and paln for over a year afLer,
long-Lerm nerve damage
,839::! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon Sleep deprlvaLlon, lnhumane condlLlons, denled medlclne for hlgh blood
pressure
Plgh blood pressure, Lemporary
deafness, bleedlng when
defecaLlng
,839:;! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon laced ln a chalr on Lhe beach and forced Lo slL for 17 days, Lhen moved lnLo
sollLary conflnemenL for approxlmaLely Lhree monLhs, brlghL llghLs shone lnLo
eyes durlng lnLerrogaLlon
Lower back paln
,839:<! Male ueLenLlon oor deLenLlon condlLlons: forced Lo slL on bench for seven days, llLLle food and
waLer, bed bugs, anLs, nowhere Lo sleep, lsolaLlon
Lower back paln
,839:=! Male ueLenLlon oor deLenLlon condlLlons: lsolaLlon, harassed, forced Lo slL on bench for approx
30 hours

,8139:>! lemale ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon kepL ouLslde for 4 days and beaLen wlLh booLs and baLons, handcuffed Lo Lrees,
noL allowed Lo use Lhe LolleL, offenslve language, kepL ln small lsolaLlon cell wlLh
one oLher person and boLh were handcuffed LogeLher nonsLop for 1 monLh,
forced Lo roll and squaL on sharp coral, senL lnLo goaL pen wlLh leaves LhaL goaLs
eaL Lled Lo her, covered wlLh sewerage waLer, covered wlLh sugar and forced Lo
lle on ground Lo aLLracL anLs, handcuffed Lo Lree branches and forced Lo hang,
paraded ln publlc

,8139:?! Male ueLenLlon oor deLenLlon condlLlons: small lsolaLlon cell, llLLle food and waLer unable Lo voLe ln elecLlons
,8139:@! Male ueLenLlon oor deLenLlon condlLlons: small cell, raLs, poor sanlLaLlon
,839:A! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon uL ln lsolaLlon cell, poor condlLlons, brlghL llghLs shone ln eyes for 12 hours roblems wlLh eyes
,8139;:! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon 8eaLen, hlL wlLh planks, LhreaLened Lo sLrlp naked ln fronL of Lwo women,
handcuffed Lo a cage wlLh a large crocodlle and Lold LhaL lf he dld noL confess he
would be Lhrown ln, sleep deprlvaLlon, assaulLed hls wlfe ln fronL of hlm, poor
deLenLlon condlLlons, lnadequaLe sanlLaLlon, deLalnees handcuffed LogeLher (ln
Lwos) and forced Lo run for hours, forced nudlLy and lnvaslve sLrlp-searches,
lsolaLlon
roblems wlLh eyes and knee
damage due Lo beaLlngs
,8139;;! Male 8eaLen aL home,
deLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon
LefL ouLslde for slx days, handcuffed near generaLor plpe emlLLlng carbon
monoxlde, beaLen, klcked, cuL on coral, drowned ln a lagoon, covered wlLh sugar
waLer Lo aLLracL anLs, sleep deprlvaLlon, poor sanlLaLlon, chllll sauce splashed ln
eyes an nose, halr from beard plucked wlLh pllers, beard shaved off by force,
LhreaLs Lo break flngers, Lear gas, covered ln LooLhpasLe, forced nudlLy,
handcuffed Lo Lree and had wasLe from sepLlc Lank poured on hlm, lsolaLlon
roblems wlLh back, lnsomnla and
sleep problems
,8139;<! lemale ueLenLlon kepL ln deLenLlon for some Llme and Lhen placed under house arresL, whlle
under house arresL, she was beaLen by Slfaln and Laken Lo Mnu PC and beaLen
and klcked,Lhen Lransferred Lo anoLher faclllLy where she suffered beaLlngs, poor
condlLlons, and was posslbly fed laxaLlves, she sLarLed bleedlng profusely from
her genlLals and was glven lnadequaLe medlcal help, lnLlmldaLed and LhreaLened
Lo be kllled llke her son, LaunLed by Lhe men LhaL kllled her son
vaglnal bleedlng, psychologlcal
Lrauma, slx broken verLebrae,
damaged verLebrae ln neck have
lmpacL on vlslon
,8139;=! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon 8eaLen, lsolaLlon, lnLlmldaLed, handcuffed Lo a Lree, hlL wlLh baLon, klcked, sleep
deprlvaLlon, bruLally pulled ear lobe, noL allowed Lo go Lo Lhe LolleL, forced Lo
run, forced Lo slL on baLon lnserLed ln anus, had food and sugar poured on hlm,
poor sanlLaLlon
Memory loss
,8139;>! Male ueLenLlon, lnLerrogaLlon lsolaLlon cell, 'mounLed on Lhe angle' meanlng LhaL boLh arms are passed
backwards Lhrough Lhe verLlcal bars of Lhe venL above Lhe door ln a prlson cell
and wrlsLs are handcuffed LogeLher, Lhe body ls Lhen lefL hanglng for hours and
usually shoulders and elbows are dlslocaLed, beaLen
Plgh blood pressure, dlfflculLy
walklng, lmpalred slghL, hlp paln
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