Salah's family compelled to seek a second professional opinion regarding post-mortem examinations conducted in Colombo :: Maldives News :: Dhivehi Observer

Press Statement

Salah's family compelled to seek a second professional opinion regarding post-mortem examinations conducted in Colombo

22 April 2007

The family of late Hussain Salah of Naazukeege, Hithadoo, Addu Atoll, Maldives states that the family is compelled to seek a second professional opinion regarding the findings of the postmortem examination conducted in Colombo.

The family wishes to note that they were of the belief that the transferring of the body of Hussain Salah to Colombo and the post mortem examination would be done with minimum involvement of the government of Maldives. However, the family was disappointed and dismayed to witness delays in the transfer of the body to Colombo, particularly the delay at the Colombo Katunayaka airport caused due to the involvement of the government of Maldives. The presence and interference of the Maldives police in the matter clearly shows that the post mortem examination was conducted on the request of and with extensive involvement by the government of Maldives.

Hussain Salah was arrested on 9th April 2007 from his home in Addu Atoll and taken into the custody of the Maldives police in Male’ on 12th April. Hussain Salah was found dead, floating in the lagoon in the vicinity of a police detention centre in Male’ where Hussain Salah was detained, in the morning of 15th April 2007. Since finding Hussain Salah’s body, the Maldives Police have tried in numerous ways to prevent the determination of the cause and time of the death of Hussain Salah. They have attempted to bury the body without a medical examination and have used the media to defame the person of Hussain Salah instead of causing a proper investigation done with regard to the death of Hussain Salah.

A C.T scan on the body of Hussain Salah was done at the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Male’ on the 15th of April 2007, soon after the discovery of his body and the subsequent statements issued by the Maldives Police to the media confirms that there was a fracture of the sinus bone and several injuries to the head. Unfortunately the findings of the JMO, Colombo, state that there were no injuries to the bones which is contradictory and inexplicable.

The family believes that the wording of the report of the post mortem examination on the body of Hussain Salah has given the Government of Maldives opportunity to politicize the death of Hussain Salah, to misrepresent the facts of the matter and to continue with its defamation of the person of Hussain Salah, thereby causing immeasurable grief to the family of the deceased. The family categorically state that the report of the JMO, Colombo, does not prove or indicate that Hussain Salah did not die in police custody. The family will respond to the report and the conclusions thereof in due course after consulting with experts and obtaining a second opinion.

The family requests the authorities of the Government of the Maldives to permit the family to hold the body of Hussain Salah in Colombo until a second opinion is obtained in the matter and calls upon the Government of Maldives to conduct a proper and professional investigation to the cause and circumstances leading to the death of Hussain Salah.

Statement released by S.Anil Silva (L.L.B Srilanka) Attorney-at-Law on behalf of the family of the late Hussain Salah
Telephone (94)112787132

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The Murder of Hussain Salah
Tension remains high in the Maldives after the brutal murder of Hussain Salah from Addu by the Maldives Police. Despite attempts to cover up the story, more evidence is emerging and it is now increasingly obvious that his death was as a result of severe and brutal torture by the police, whilst in detention in a jail in Male'. read full coverage of the news

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