The Presidential Commission on the Deaths and Disappearances said on Sunday that state protection has to be provided for witnesses providing statements or evidences on the case of disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan.
They additionally said the state is working on a system to ensure such protection.
Ahmed Rilwan, a journalist working to Minivan news was last seen on August 8, 2014. Today marks seven years to his disappearance.
The commission released a press release on this occasion, and stated their mission is to bring everyone involved in this case to court, regardless of how small their involvement.
One of the biggest obstacle the commission faces in this investigation is witnesses hesitating to provide information. The commission is working with relevant authorities to provide a solution to this issue.
"We believe this will increase the trust [Maldivian] citizens have in the criminal justice system, and decrease the hesitation witnesses feel in providing statements," the commission said in Dhivehi via the press release.
Additionally they said they are working with foreign experts to prepare a witness protection program for such cases. This program will be implemented taking in Maldivians social, political, religious factors, in addition to the population, the commission said.
Finding justice for Rilwan was one of the campaign promises of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The fact that this case remains open to this day has lead to a lot of criticism aimed at the government on social media.
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