Rights Group Concerned Over Possible Tampering In Maldives Presidential Election Next Week

Rights Group Concerned Over Possible Tampering in Maldives Presidential Election Next Week

An international human rights group on Wednesday warned that electoral fraud could potentially occur during the upcoming presidential election in the Maldives, scheduled for September 23, following the adoption of new vote-counting rules in the South Asian nation.

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2018) An international human rights group on Wednesday warned that electoral fraud could potentially occur during the upcoming presidential election in the Maldives, scheduled for September 23, following the adoption of new vote-counting rules in the South Asian nation.

"The Maldives government-controlled Election Commission appears to have adopted new vote-counting rules that threaten prospects for a free and fair election on September 23, 2018 ... The government of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has for months cracked down on opposition parties, the media, and critics," the Human Rights Watch said in a press release.

The Joint Opposition Coalition of the Maldives, whose candidate Ibrahim Solih is also running in the election, said in a statement on Monday that under the new rules, the election observers would not be allowed to see individual ballot papers for each candidate, making verification impossible. Moreover, the observers will be permitted to file complaints about the election only after the announcement of the official results.

"Maldives authorities have detained critics, muzzled the media, and misused the Election Commission to obstruct opposition candidates to ensure President Yameen a victory on election day. If officials are manipulating the way votes are counted, it will deny the Maldivian people's right to choose their president," Patricia Gossman, the rights group's Asia associate, said, as quoted in the press release.

Yameen has been in office since 2013.