PG Office says protest leaders can still avoid prosecution through diversion agreement

The Prosecutor General’s Office has stated that Abdullah Mahzoom Majid and Aishath Shiman, two youth activists charged in connection with protests following the death of Hawwa Yumn Rasheed, can still enter into a diversion agreement to avoid prosecution.

Mahzoom and Shiman were at the forefront of protests held in Malé earlier this year, after Yumn fell from a building under circumstances that sparked public outrage. Protesters accused the police of negligence in the investigation. The two were arrested during the demonstrations in April and their detention was later extended by the court. They were subsequently released.

The PG Office has since filed formal charges against both individuals. Mahzoom faces a charge of assault, while Shiman is charged with obstructing a law enforcement officer.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ahmed Shafeeu, the PG Office's spokesperson and legal counsel, said that both Mahzoom and Shiman had been previously offered the option of a diversion agreement, which they declined. However, he noted that the opportunity is still available to them.

A diversion agreement is a legal arrangement in which charges are withdrawn on the condition that the individual does not commit any further offenses.

In a related development, Raudh Ahmed Zilal, the last person known to have seen Yumn on the night of the incident, has also been arrested and charged by the state. While initially detained, Raudh has since been released from custody.