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O 301058Z APR 07
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000635 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES: POLITICAL TURMOIL FOLLOWS PUBLIC 
SUSPICION OF A POSSIBLE CUSTODIAL DEATH 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The discovery of a dead body floating in a 
lagoon near Male' on April 15 led to political controversy, 
as the deceased's family and opposition charged the victim 
was killed in custody -- and government authorities denied 
it.  A demonstration erupted outside the cemetery.  Police 
reportedly used undue force to break up the crowd and 
arrested at least thirteen.  The Ambassador wrote to Attorney 
General Hassan Saeed on April 19 to express hope that the 
victim's family's wishes would be respected and to note 
concern about the violence between police and protestors. 
The Maldivian government complied with the victim's family's 
request to facilitate an autopsy of the body in Sri Lanka. 
The medical examiner noted no visible signs of injury and 
concluded that death occurred by drowning.  Maldivian 
government officials promptly issued press releases claiming 
they were exonerated of any wrongdoing.  The Maldivian 
Attorney General's office reported these findings in a 
response to the Ambassador on April 24.  Nevertheless, the 
family remained unsatisfied with the results, noting major 
discrepancies between Maldivian police's initial 
announcements and the Sri Lankan examiner's autopsy report. 
On April 28, the Maldivian government refused to grant the 
family's request for a burial in Colombo and shipped the body 
to Male'.  The Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs conducted 
the burial that same day; police broke up a crowd praying for 
the body at a mosque, and three journalists were arrested for 
trying to cover the burial.  During the week of April 22, 
tensions between the government and opposition rose when 
several activists faced trial for having violated freedom of 
assembly regulations in 2006.  Based on the current climate, 
the chances for cooperation between the estranged sides on 
constitutional reform seem to have receded.  End summary. 
 
POLICE AND OPPOSITION CLASH 
NEAR CEMETERY 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) According to local media, police reported the 
discovery of Hussain Salah's corpse floating in a lagoon 
early the morning of April 15.  In keeping with local Islamic 
custom, authorities took the body to the cemetery for an 
immediate burial.  However, Salah had been taken into police 
custody on April 9, and members of his family believed he may 
have been killed by security forces.  The family insisted on 
an investigation, and a crowd gathered outside the cemetery. 
In dispersing the crowd, police used undue force, with ten 
officers reportedly targeting opposition chair Mohamed 
Nasheed, hitting him with batons and kicking him.  One 
published photo showed a policeman punching Nasheed in the 
face.  Police told the media they made thirteen arrests, 
while the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said 
police arrested fifteen, including Nasheed. Several were 
released the following day, Nasheed among them. 
 
SUSPECTED CUSTODIAL DEATH 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Police reported that they released Salah from custody 
the evening of April 13.  They said he died under unknown 
circumstances April 14.  Salah's family asked why, if that 
were the case, he had failed to contact them on April 13. 
Police produced a document indicating Salah's release date, 
but the family demanded to see security camera footage of his 
release -- which police have not agreed to hand over.  In 
addition, police initially said Salah suffered no injuries, 
but when pictures of the body circulating on the internet 
showed visible signs of injury, police said some damage 
ocurred as the body was being moved.  On the local television 
news, police said Salah's body had breaks in the skull, 
including a fractured sinus bone.  Salah's family, the 
opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and many in the 
public were deeply suspicious of the circumstances 
surrounding Salah's death.  The family called for an autopsy 
 
COLOMBO 00000635  002 OF 003 
 
 
and went to the Sri Lankan High Commission in Male' to 
request assistance on the grounds that Maldives lacks the 
facilities to carry it out.  Sri Lankan officials said they 
would have to cooperate with Maldivian authorities to 
transfer the body, and the family granted such permission. 
 
CONTROVERSIAL AUTOPSY RESULTS 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (U) A Sri Lankan medical examiner conducted the autopsy on 
April 21, and published a brief set of findings concluding 
there were no signs of injury on the body and "sand in the 
lungs" indicated death by drowning.  The Maldivian government 
immediately released public statements announcing they were 
fully exonerated of any wrongdoing.  Foreign Minister Ahmed 
Shaheed sent poloff a text message to that effect.  However, 
Salah's family told the press that when they arrived at the 
Maldivian High Commission in Colombo to receive the autopsy 
results, the envelope had already been opened. They rejected 
the findings, saying they may have been tampered with. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Poloff spoke with family lawyer Mohamed Munnavar in 
Colombo on April 23.  Munnavar said sixteen Maldivian police 
had flown with Salah's body, and the police spoke privately 
with the Sri Lankan medical officer at length before he 
conducted the autopsy.  Munnavar said that Maldivians, coming 
from an atoll nation, are familiar with the physical 
indications of drowning, none of which (he said) Salah's body 
exhibited.  Munnavar said the family had requested a return 
of the body, ostensibly to bury it immediately, but wanted to 
find a doctor to do an x-ray of the skull before-hand. 
Munnavar explained that if such a cursory check confirmed the 
initial Maldivian police report of head injuries in direct 
contradiction to the autopsy report, the Sri Lankan 
examiner's findings would be highly suspect.  According to 
Munnavar, however, the Maldivian High Commission insisted on 
making burial arrangements, and 
denied the family custody of the body. 
 
FAMILY UNHAPPY WITH RESOLUTION; 
CONTINUED POLITICAL STRAINS 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) In Maldives, the government convened a parliamentary 
group to investigate Salah's death.  The Maldives Human 
Rights Commission urged a full investigation, but did not 
take up the task itself.  On April 28, the Maldivian 
government shipped Salah's body back to Male', rejecting the 
family's request to bury him in Colombo.  The Supreme Council 
for Islamic Affairs took charge of the body and buried it in 
Male' because the family refused to be involved.  The press 
reported that a group gathered to pray for the body at a 
mosque near the cemetery, and police disperesed the crowd and 
arrested three journalists attempting to cover the burial. 
The journalists, including one who works for a 
governement-run daily paper, were all released by the 
following day.  In the meantime, the Maldivian government 
stepped up public criticism of the opposition, accusing the 
MDP of politicizing Salah's death.  The government called on 
the opposition to shift the focus to constitutional reform. 
The opposition told the press the Maldivian government is 
merely trying to deflect attention from the Salah 
controversy. 
 
¶7.  (U) On April 25, a Maldivian court called four opposition 
activists to trial on charges of violating freedom of 
assembly in November 2006.  On April 26, Aminath Najeeb, 
editor of the pro-opposition Minivan Daily, went to court to 
face "disobedience to order" charges for publishing an 
article quoting a source who sought to "destroy the court 
(system)."  An article in the sister website, 
MinivanNews.com, noted that Najeeb has faced similar charges 
several times before, and ironically, may well be in prison 
 
COLOMBO 00000635  003 OF 003 
 
 
on World Press Freedom Day, when Maldives will host an 
international event to celebrate free media. 
 
AMBASSADOR REGISTERS CONCERNS 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) On April 19 the Ambassador wrote to Attorney General 
Hassan Saeed urging that Salah's family's wishes be 
respected, expressing concern about the reports of violence 
at the demonstration, and encouraging a return to dialogue 
between the government and opposition.  An official from 
Saeed's office responded on April 24, noting the autopsy 
conducted on April 21 confirmed that Solah died by drowning. 
The e-mail also stated that while the government was willing 
to accept a Commonwealth initiative to hold talks outside of 
Maldives to discuss constitutional reform with the 
opposition, the MDP had yet to formally agree. 
 
¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: The exact circumstances of Salah's death 
may remain an unsolved mystery.  Given the short time between 
his supposed release and his demise, it is perhaps 
understandable that many were quick to believe the worst 
about the security forces.  The heavy-handed response to the 
ensuing demonstration did nothing to allay suspicions. 
Severe government criticism of the MDP and the start of 
trials of prominent opposition members exacerbated tensions. 
The current climate is, unfortuanately, hardly conducive to 
reasoned discussion of constitutional reform. 
MOORE