Stop the Maldives flogging women

New figures show the appalling state of women’s rights in the Maldives.

British couples are being asked to avoid the Maldives as a honeymoon destination in an attempt to force the country’s government to overturn the conviction of a 15-year-old female rape victim, who was sentenced to 100 lashes after being raped by her stepfather.

The girl’s stepfather is accused of raping her for years and murdering the baby she bore and the girl’s mother was charged with murder and concealing a crime.

In the course of the investigation, police uncovered evidence of ‘another incident’ which they have used to charge the girl herself with ‘fornication’, and the court said she must now be flogged for sex outside marriage.

A juvenile court then sentenced her to a maximum term of eight months’ house arrest and 100 lashes.

‘Fornication’, rights group Amnesty International (AI) points out, is not an offence recognised under the international human rights laws and standards to which the Maldives has signed up. In fact, international standards say that states must not criminalise or punish young people who engage in consensual sexual activity, or are victims of abuse.

Meanwhile, the punishment of flogging meted out for this ‘crime’ directly violates international law, which completely prohibits cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments.

Many of the 500,000 tourists who holiday on the “paradise” islands every year are unaware of the country’s appalling record on women’s rights.

There has not been one single conviction for rape in the past three years.

The Maldivian government’s own figures show that one in three women between the ages of 15 and 49 has suffered physical or sexual abuse over the past five years.

In 2009, over 180 people were sentenced to flogging for the ‘crime’ of fornication. Almost 90 per cent were women.

A new poll of Maldivians for the global campaign group Avaaz revealed that 92 per cent of people thought laws to protect girls and women from sexual assault should be reformed, while 79 per cent thought current systems are not adequate or fair.

The Asia Research partners poll also revealed that 73 per cent think punishments for sexual crimes are unfair to women, while 62 per cent wanted to reintroduce the moratorium on flogging.

More than two million people worldwide have signed an online petition set up by Avaaz calling for the country’s President, Mohammed Waheed Hassan, who seized power in a coup last year, to do more to protect women and children in the country.

Eva Abdulla, a Maldivian MP in the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, said recently: “We need the British and all other tourists to be aware of just where they are going to when they book that ticket to the Maldives.

“Following the coup of 7 February 2012, everyone, including all the women, have been disenfranchised, robbed of their vote.

“Visiting tourists also need to be aware of the institutional discrimination against women within the judicial system.

“Consider the statistics on flogging: that 90 per cent of the cases are women. Consider the statistics on rape charges: 0 per cent success rate of prosecution, with the latest being the release of four men accused of raping a 16-year-old, on the grounds that there wasn’t enough evidence.

“The increasing religious fundamentalism followed by the attempts to subjugate women, both politically and otherwise, should be cause for alarm.

“This is a country of traditionally very strong women. However, increasingly, the Adhaalath Party, a self-claimed religious party which is in alliance with the current government, uses the religious card to scare off women.

“We women MPs are often threatened whenever we speak against the party.”

Abdulla said women have been subjected to beatings, sexual harassment and imprisonment by the police, and many are being prosecuted on charges ranging from “obstruction of police duty” to using foul language at the police.

The girl’s sentence is due to be carried out when she turns 18.

She is currently living in a state-run care home – and Avaaz has concerns about her well-being as Avaaz staff were denied access to the girl and have been given very little information about the level and quality of this ‘social care’.

Alice Jay, campaign director at Avaaz, said: “While honeymooners relax in paradise, a war against women is being waged in the Maldives, which the government is refusing to stop.

“Over two million people from around the world want them to act, and now 92 per cent of Maldivians want laws against rape and sexual abuse.

“President Waheed can easily pass a law banning flogging but refuses to act to end this medieval practice.”

And as the Avaaz petition points out, real justice will only be delivered when the president ends the practice of flogging in the Maldives altogether, and changes the law so that it better protects the victims of rape and sexual abuse.

To sign the petition click here.