Reeko Moosa’s remarks against scholars referred to police

Remarks made by former Vice Speaker of Parliament and former MDP Chairperson “Reeko” Moosa Manik, in which he accused religious scholars of apostasy, have been referred to the police for investigation by the Scholars Association.

Speaking at a rally held at the MDP Hub on Tuesday night, Moosa alleged that religious scholars in Maldives were altering hadiths and Quran verses to suit their own interests, comparing the changes to a "vessel constantly shifting direction".

He also urged scholars involved in politics to stay at home, describing them as a “major disaster” for the country.

Referring to some imams of the Islamic Centre, Moosa claimed they were receiving “large salaries”, comparing this to gambling, and accused some scholars of being apostates.

In a statement, the Scholars Association said Moosa’s remarks were irresponsible and degrading, and called for an investigation and legal action against him.

“Such dangerous accusations against scholars could lead to crimes that could endanger the lives of religious scholars, like the brutal murder of Dr Afraasheem Ali,” the association said.

The association also called for an investigation into the television channel that broadcast Moosa’s speech live, as well as legal action against those responsible.