Statement by President Nasheed Following Testimonies by Key Police and Military Officers

President Mohamed Nasheed has expressed renewed hope following the statements made by the former Chief of Police, Ahmed Faseeh, the former Chief of Defense Force, Major General (Retd) Moosa Jaleel, former heads of Intelligence, Brigadier General Ahmed Nilaam (MNDF) & Superintendent Mohamed Hameed (MPS) & others to the Parliamentary Committee.

The Parliamentary select committee assessing the Commission of National Inquiry’s (CoNI) report on the 7th February transfer of power, on Wednesday made public the statements given to it by former senior police and military officers.

The statements given by key officials of the security services allege that the report produced by the CoNI did not include many of the statements disclosed to them. They have testified on record that the CoNI report did not reflect their statements. These officials further testified that President Nasheed resigned under duress and that it was a police and military backed coup d’etat.

“I know not one Maldivian who agrees with the CoNI report except the perpetrators of the crime & most Maldivians had difficulty accepting the CoNI report. President Nasheed accepted the report only with the reservations emphasized by his nominee to the Commission. Since the release of the report, many leading international experts and lawyers have expressed concerns over the report. The incriminatory allegations made by those who gave evidence at the Parliamentary Committee put an already discredited CoNI into even more doubt” said Mariya Didi MP, President Nasheed’s spokesperson.

“President Nasheed has always maintained that his resignation was obtained under duress following a police and military backed coup,” she added.

“I urge everyone to re-assess their position on CoNI findings in the light of those revelations made by key witnesses from the military and police” said President Nasheed.

ENDS