Male, Nov 2026 : Former Maldives Foreign Minister and current Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) president Abdulla Shahid was arrested by the Maldives Police Service late Monday night under a court warrant, triggering political tensions in the island nation.
According to an official police statement in Dhivehi, the 64-year-old opposition leader was taken into custody at 9:59 pm local time in Malé. Police said the arrest was carried out under Section 18 of police regulations pursuant to a court warrant.
Authorities stated that Shahid is being investigated over allegations involving the sexual abuse of a minor below 18 years of age.
Shahid is among the Maldives’ most prominent political and diplomatic figures. He served as President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly from 2021 to 2022 and was Foreign Minister under the MDP administration from 2018 to 2023. He previously served as Speaker of the People’s Majlis from 2009 to 2014.
Following the MDP’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election, Shahid took charge of the country’s main opposition party. Earlier this year, he announced his intention to seek the party’s presidential nomination for the next election.
The arrest has sparked political friction in the capital, with MDP supporters and senior opposition lawmakers describing the action as politically motivated targeting of the opposition leader.
The party’s supporters have questioned the timing of the arrest, particularly as Shahid is a prominent figure within the opposition and has expressed interest in contesting the next presidential election.
Meanwhile, the Maldives Police Service maintained that the arrest was carried out in accordance with legal procedures, following formal complaints and the issuance of a judicial warrant.
The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations against Shahid have not been established in court.
