Maldives Brief (9/16)

Schools to observe special timings during Ramadan:

1. Education Ministry has ordered all public schools to put religion first during Ramadan. It has ordered schools to re-arrange the timetable so that students can perform their prayers on time. They should also provide religious information and plan religious activities for the students. Schools have been ordered not to hold any activities between Maghrib and Isha prayer time. This schedule should be continued until the end of the first seven days of Shawwal.

President inaugurates Saudi funded Maavashu mosque:

2. President Abdulla Yameen, on May 9 inaugurated Masjid al-Bilal – built in L. Maavashu with non-reimbursable financial aid provided by Saudi Arabian government. The mosque has capacity to host 500 people, and cost MVR 5.4 million to build.

Government delegation meets with the members of UNWGEID:

3. A government delegation met with the United Nations Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance (UNWGEID) in Geneva and gave detailed information on the disappearance of the journalist from Minivan News, Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla. The delegation argued that investigation into the case did not indicate involvement of any government entity and therefore, did not fall within the mandate of the UNWGEID.