Thursday
19th Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Rilwan's father.
Abdullah Moosa, father of missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan, says that justice for his missing son can only be brought about by opposition leader former President Abdullah Yameen.
His statement came in an interview to Channel13.
Rilwan was abducted in the early hours of August 8, 2014, mere meters from his home in Hulhumale’. The then-opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was quick to lay the blame on President Yameen, as the abduction occurred in the first year of his Presidency.
In spite of an investigation and a trial on suspected individual during his tenure, MDP continued to allege that the culprit was President Yameen. During the Presidential campaign of 2018, the then-candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had vowed to seek justice for Rilwan. Rilwan’s father and family members were often seen at the forefront of rallies for MDP.
On Friday evening, Abdullah Moosa spoke exclusively to Channel13, where he berated the government for failing to keep their promise, in spite of being in office for four years.
“I now do believe that it was just a ruse he [President Solih] carried out to come to power, standing with us behind the banners. I do not have any faith in this government,”Abdullah Moosa
He went on to say that he initially did believe that President Yameen was behind the abduction, as he was the President, and had said harsh words against the President. This, he said, was born out of ignorance, adding that he does no longer believe that to be the case.
“Then I did yell a lot at President Yameen. I didn’t know. When Husnu’Suood said that, I accepted that [President] Yameen didn’t have anything to do with it. Before that I had ill will towards him,”Abdullah Moosa
Stating that he had to change his views once the government made the revelation, Abdullah said that he was willing to work with President Yameen to seek justice for his son.
“I want to meet him [President Yameen], work with him. He’s the only one who can do it. I hope he is willing to work with me,” he said.
Seeking out justice for missing journalist Rilwan and murdered blogger Yameen Rasheed was an electoral pledge of President Solih. When he took office, he formed the Commission on Disappearances and Deaths (DDCom), under a Presidential decree.
The findings of DDCom into the case indicate he was abducted and murdered but no charges have been pressed due to the lack of sufficient credible evidence. DDCom has stated it is continuing the investigation with the help of an international investigator.
No new trials had been conducted under the Commission since 2018. The findings issued as a report was merely a rehashing of the previous investigation carried out under President Yameen’s administration.
“I want to meet him [President Yameen], work with him. He’s the only one who can do it. I hope he is willing to work with me,” he said.
Seeking out justice for missing journalist Rilwan and murdered blogger Yameen Rasheed was an electoral pledge of President Solih. When he took office, he formed the Commission on Disappearances and Deaths (DDCom), under a Presidential decree.
The findings of DDCom into the case indicate he was abducted and murdered but no charges have been pressed due to the lack of sufficient credible evidence. DDCom has stated it is continuing the investigation with the help of an international investigator.
No new trials had been conducted under the Commission since 2018. The findings issued as a report was merely a rehashing of the previous investigation carried out under President Yameen’s administration.