Police said they will fully cooperate with an investigation by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) into allegations that an expatriate arrested with a large quantity of drugs was assaulted while in custody.
The police arrested Azhad Naseem, 28, of Fiyaathoshi Villa, GA. Maamendhoo, and Haneef, 36 of Bangladesh, a Maldivian and a Bangladeshi, with over 3 kg of drugs on 20th February.
Haneef filed a complaint with the HRCM alleging abuse by the police. In a message shared with the media, police said they would fully cooperate with the commission’s investigation.
The police also said that the HRCM had informed them the investigation is currently underway.
According to the police, they looked into Haneef's allegations as well and said they found nothing that points to the occurrence of the incident.
“When we looked into the allegations, no complaint of assault had been made when he was presented for remand in custody or during his remand period. We also noted that when information was recorded during the detention procedure, no allegation of assault was reported and no request was made to consult a doctor,” police said in the message.
The two were arrested in an operation conducted by the police’s Drug Enforcement and Counter Narcotics Intelligence departments based on intelligence indicating they were in possession of, and selling, drugs.
Under the operation, the police had searched two vehicles and found over 3kg of a substance suspected to be drugs, as was said by the police.
When presented in court, Haneef was placed in remand in custody for 5 days, and Azhad for 15 days.
