Zakiyya's family state they do not accept virtual autopsy

Family of Zakiyya Moosa, who was found dead with severe injuries to her neck at her residence in Noonu atoll Holhudhoo, has stated that they do not accept the virtual autopsy which was conducted.

The family also called on authorities to refrain for now from declaring the death as self-inflicted.

Zakiyya was found dead at around 10am on September 10 last year. Her family maintains that she had been killed. Family and concerned others from the island have held a number of demonstrations calling for justice.

A team from Police went to India, where a virtual autopsy was conducted on Zakiyya. The autopsy indicates that the wounds that led to Zakiyya's death were self-inflicted, but the family rejects these findings.

A letter has also been sent to Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan and Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef stating that they wish to discuss the exhumation of Zakiyya's body for a traditional autopsy.

A statement issued by Zakiyya's sister Shaziyya states that they have not yet received a response to their request to see the details and findings of the virtual autopsy.

She said that a meeting had been held with senior officials of the Police Service on their request last Tuesday.

As per the statement, a document outlining the virtual autopsy was brought to the meeting, but the family was not given ample opportunity to properly review it.

The document included some findings of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIMS), a medical research university in New Delhi, India, the statement reads.

The family said that the report's first and last page were not shown to them. Hence, they were unable to see the signatories of the report.

They said that the report's title read that it was an expert opinion, instead of a virtual autopsy report.

The statement further claimed that it is unclear whether Zakiyya inflicted the wound to her throat while standing, sitting or lying down, nor was the depth of the wound defined.

However, the photo photos included in the report were those taken at the scene of death, it said.

There was no indication that a 3D scan of Zakiyya's body was made, the family said, adding the document shown was not in the usual format of a report.

Due to these factors, the family said they do not accept it was a virtual autopsy report, and claims that it was instead an expert opinion based on pictures of the scene shared by Police.

Shaziyya's statement further said that based on information given by Police in the meeting, the document was prepared through diplomatic channels. As Police adopted the defense of diplomatic privileges, the family does not believe the document can be referred to to make decisions during the investigation or subsequent court case.

The statement rejected the document as being the report of a virtual autopsy for these reasons, and stated that if it were a valid report, then they see no reason to deny them the option of reviewing it with the aid of technical experts in the field.

They stated that if review of the document with technical experts is not allowed, they will apply for an order to view the evidence during the judicial process. The statement also said that the investigation had failed so far to reveal the nature of mental illness that they claim Zakiyya suffered from.