Pres appeals against ‘shaming’ people after Imran’s video goes viral

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu made an appeal against publicly shaming people on Monday, after a video taken last weekend of former home minister Imran Abdulla went viral on social media.

The video was made by Imran Latheef (Immu), the MP-elect of South Henveiru constituency.

Immu, who won the elections last month, said he witnessed an accident in Male’ City on Saturday, involving Imran’s car and a pickup. In the video, Immu asks the Adhaalath Party leader to forgive the man driving the pickup, describing him as a “poor civilian.”

The video produced mixed reactions, with some ridiculing Imran, while others criticized the newly-elected MP.

In a post on X on Monday morning, President Muizzu said he finds acts of publicly shaming people “for whatever reason” unacceptable.

“Taking advantage of a crime committed by someone and taking a video and publicly shaming them for whatever reason is completely unacceptable by both moral and societal standards,” wrote the president.

“The law prescribes how to treat a person who commits a crime. There are law enforcement agencies and a legal system in place for this.”

President Muizzu said that abandoning religious and societal standards and taking the law into own hands is a barrier to eliminating the spirit of retaliation Maldives wants erased from society.

“Let us all be kind, compassionate and responsible people who build a responsible society!” he said.

މީހަކަށް ކުރެވޭ ކުށެއްގެ ނާޖާއިޒު ފައިދާ ނަގާ، އެއްވެސް މަޤްސަދެއްގައި ވީޑިޔޯކޮށް ޢާއްމުންގެ ތެރޭގައި ފަޟީހަތްކޮށް ހެދުމަކީ، އަޚްލާޤީ ގޮތުންނާއި އިޖްތިމާޢީގޮތުން ބަލާއިރު އެއްގޮތަކަށްވެސް ކޮށްގެންވާނޭ ކަންކަމެއްނޫން! ކުށެއް ކޮށްފި މީހަކާއިމެދު ކަންކުރާނޭ ގޮތް ޤާނޫނުގައި…

— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) May 6, 2024

After the video went viral, Immu wrote in his campaign group on WhatsApp that his actions weren’t politically motivated, and urged others against politicizing the incident.

He said that he had witnessed the accident, and wanted to fulfil his “civic duty” by suggesting what he believed to the most mutually beneficial solution.

President Muizzu began his political career with Adhaalath Party. However, the party had sided against him in the 2023 presidential elections.