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Former Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid was arrested by the police on suspicion of child sexual abuse.
According to a statement issued by the Maldives Police on Monday, the arrest was made at around 9:59 pm (local time) under a court warrant. The 64-year-old, who was a former President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), was considered a prominent contender for the opposition Maldivian Democratic Partys (MDP) presidential nomination ahead of the 2028 elections. "On suspicion of sexually abusing a child under the age of 18, Abdulla Shahid (64 yrs), H. Rabeeee Manzil, Mal, was arrested under a court warrant on the night of 2 November 2026, at around 21:59. The police are currently conducting further investigations into this case," the police said in a statement posted on X. Following his arrest, Shahid rejected the allegations, describing the claims being circulated against him as baseless. "The stories being politically circulated to assassinate my character are completely baseless lies. I urge everyone to refrain from spreading such unsubstantiated claims," he said in a post on X. Shahid is among the Maldives' most internationally recognised political figures. He served as Foreign Affairs Minister from 2018 to 2023 under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and presided over the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly during 202122. He also served as Speaker of the People's Majlis and led the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) from February 2024 until August 2026, when he stepped down to contest the party primary. Last month, Shahid visited New Delhi to attend the Words Beyond Borders International Literature Festival 2026, where he was invited to chair a session titled "Spaces We Call Home: Diaspora & Belonging". The Maldives Police said further investigations into the case are underway. (ANI)
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