President Maumoon Gayyoom has tortured 38,000 Maldivians

Over thirty eight thousand political prisoners have been tortured in Maldives by President Maumoon Gayyoom since he took power in late 1978, according to NSS records quoted in detail by a Dhivehi article on the Dhivehi Observer website on 7 May 2005.

The figures for 2003-5 were not given, but the article says more than 1,000 people were imprisoned after the attack by Gayyoom's National Security Service (NSS) on Male' in August 2004.

The NSS records show that each year, an average of nearly 1,600 political prisoners are tortured by Gayyoom. The figures include Islamic clerics accused of 'attempting to cause religious disunity', but exclude those tortured for involvement with practising Christians. The statistics also exclude people tortured for non-political matters.

Maldives now has a population of almost 350,000, which means more than 10% of the population of the country has experienced torture during Gayyoom's presidency. To put these numbers in perspective, a similar rate of torture in UK would mean over 6 million victims; in India over 100 million; in USA over 29 million; and in Australia or Sri Lanka over 2 million victims. These comparisons give some indication of the level of terror and trauma inflicted by Gayyoom on Maldivians.

NSS records of Gayyoom's torture victims 1979-2002
Kerafa Naseem and alleged associates: 160.
Reeko Ibrahim Manik and alleged associates: 79.
'White Shark' group: 22.
Nazaki Zaki and alleged associates: 24.
Ilyas Ibrahim (Endherimaage) and alleged associates: 214.
NSS personnel who 'attempted to remove Gayyoom from power': 17.
Sandhaanu case: 23.
Umar Jamal and alleged associates from southern Huvadhu atoll: 25.
MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) and alleged associates: 65.
People arrested and tortured for first attempting to register MDP: 33.
Those accused of making explosive device, allegedly used against Binbi force in 1990: 42.
People who at various times said that Maumoon Gayyoom was misappropriating public money: 462.
Electors who refused to vote for Gayyoom-endorsed candidates in Majlis elections, and for Gayyoom in presidential referenda: 14,476.
People who at various times criticised the government in articles published in daily newspapers in Male': 1,170.
Group involved in alleged attempt to bomb SAARC summit, 64.
People in various islands tortured after being accused of disobeying authority and criticising the government: 11,622.

People who have been arrested and tortured for actions that may cause religious disunity:
BA Naseem.
Ahmed Adam (disabled by torture).
Mohamed Ibrahim.
Ali Hussein Didi (deceased).
Hassan Gasim (murdered in prison).
Ahmed Rameez.
Fareed (disabled by torture, 2004-5)
People tortured for attending various gatherings and occasions, and wearing long beards or full veils: 8,716.

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