Hussain Shameem.
New Delhi: The Maldives prosecutor general, Hussain Shameem, was attacked on the streets of the atoll nation’s capital, Male, on Wednesday morning. The attack reportedly left him with a bone fracture on his right arm, and he is currently being treated at Male’s ADK Hospital. The motive for the assault is not yet known, and the assailant has not been arrested, according to latest reports.
Shameem was appointed by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) under former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The incident occurred amid the impeachment move against the country’s president, Mohamed Muizzu, initiated by the MDP, as India Sentinels reported.
However, Maldivian police suspect a possible link to the assassination attempt with criminal prosecutions Shameem had handled as attorney.
Recent turmoil in the Maldives parliament, People’s Majlis, saw disruptions as government MPs from the opposition parties reportedly interfered with proceedings. The chaos peaked during a key vote concerning parliamentary approval for the Muizzu government, leading to physical altercations between lawmakers.
Apart from that, two opposition parties, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Democrats, have voiced strong opposition to the current regime’s perceived pivot away from India.
The Maldivian attorney general’s office has filed a case with the country’s supreme court regarding amendments to parliament’s orders. These amendments, triggered by seven lawmakers resigning to join the Muizzu administration, have altered the threshold required to impeach the president. With the amendment reducing the total number of MPs needed for impeachment, the move has sparked legal debates and further exacerbated political divisions within the Maldives.
The attack on Shameem has raised concerns over the stability and security of the Maldives, both domestically and in the broader Indian Ocean Region. The police are investigating the incident, and the Maldivian government has condemned the attack.
