Protests in Malé over scandal involving minister in Muizzu's government

Behind the demonstrations is the mysterious fall of a young woman from a building in the capital. According to some sources, politicians and prominent figures are involved. The incident allegedly took place during a party with drugs and alcohol in the Muslim-majority nation, and the police are accused of covering it up. Close associates of the president are also under scrutiny.

Milan (AsiaNews) – Protests continue in Malé, the capital of the Maldives, following the mysterious fall of a young woman from a city building on April 18. The incident sparked outrage after rumors surfaced suggesting that politicians and other prominent individuals were involved. Hundreds of young people have taken to the streets, demanding justice and transparency.

According to reports, the young woman had attended a private party held at the residence of the Minister of Transport, Mohamed Ameen. Surveillance camera footage reportedly shows the woman intoxicated in the company of a 21-year-old man and six other individuals at dawn on the day of the incident.

The demonstrators, mostly youth, have called for the immediate resignation of Minister Ameen and all others involved, including two police officers who were initially assigned to the investigation. They also advocated for the creation of a special commission to investigate the incident, accusing the police of trying to cover it up to protect members of the government.

After initially attempting to keep the identities of those at the party secret, authorities were forced to disclose the names of the attendees. Among them are Ameen’s nephews and two members of President Mohamed Muizzu’s communications team, who have since been suspended. Two police officers leading the investigation also resigned following the protests. The 21-year-old seen in the surveillance footage was arrested and placed in custody for ten days.

Weeks after the event, protests persist. On May 1, during a clash between police and demonstrators, Maldivian authorities arrested two protest leaders identified as the main organizers.

The entire affair has highlighted the general discontent among the country’s youth toward the government of President Muizzu, who has been in office since November 2023. His administration is accused of nepotism and corruption. In a symbolic act of protest, some demonstrators threw banknotes at police officers trying to control the crowd, shouting, “Money, money, yes sir!”—a clear jab at alleged police corruption.

In the days following the incident, social media was flooded with reports of private parties involving drug use, allegedly attended by figures from Muizzu’s ruling People’s National Congress, a party that publicly presents itself as a defender of Islamic values. While police continue to label the woman’s fall as a “mysterious incident,” President Muizzu has not commented on the involvement of his associates and instead accused the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of promoting a "party culture" that he claims is responsible for the erosion of Islamic values in the country.

Meanwhile, a voluntary fundraising campaign launched on TikTok has raised over ,000 to cover the medical expenses of the young woman, who is currently hospitalized in Malaysia.