Maldives climate minister arrested over ‘black magic’

by AFP Staff Writers

Male, Maldives (AFP) June 27, 2024

Police in the Maldives have arrested a state environment minister, officers said Thursday, with media in the Indian Ocean nation reporting she was accused of performing “black magic” on the president.

State Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Energy, Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem, was arrested on Sunday along with two others in the capital Male, police said.

She has been remanded in custody for a week pending investigations, officers added, without giving details for her arrest.

“There have been reports that Shamnaz was arrested for performing black magic on President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu,” said the Sun, a local media outlet.

Police would neither confirm nor deny the report.

Her position is an important job in a nation on the frontlines of the climate crisis, with UN environment experts warning rising seas could make it virtually uninhabitable by the end of the century.

Sorcery is not a criminal offence under the penal code in the Muslim-majority Maldives, but it does carry a six-month jail sentence under Islamic law.

People across the archipelago widely practice traditional ceremonies, believing they can win favours and curse opponents.

A 62-year-old woman was stabbed to death by three neighbours on Manadhoo in April 2023 after she was accused of conducting black magic ceremonies, the Mihaaru news site reported last week, after a lengthy police investigation.

It quoted police as saying that they had failed to find any evidence the murder victim performed sorcery.

In 2012, police cracked down on an opposition political rally after accusing organisers of throwing a “cursed rooster” at officers raiding their offices.

Related Links

Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 – Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled “by Staff Writers” include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report’s information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.