Aminath Shauna of The Island President ARRESTED in the Maldives
Aminath Shauna, who appears in The Island President as the Deputy Undersecretary for Climate Change policy in President Mohamed Nasheed's administration, was arrested today and taken to Dhoonidhoo prison during a violent crackdown by Maldives security forces against demonstrators who are calling for a return to democracy and early elections five months after the February coup d'etat that removed President Nasheed from office.
Shauna was a leader of the 350.org movement in the Maldives and helped organize the Underwater Cabinet Meeting of October, 2009 and the Global Day of Climate Action in the Maldives. Following the coup in February, Shauna became Youth Wing President of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Last month, she travelled with former President Mohamed Nasheed to the United States and participated in meetings with the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Congress, and the United Nations. On June 27, she was with President Nasheed at Tufts University in Boston when he received the James Lawson Award for Non-violent Achievement..
Due to the documented abuses of other detainees held in police custody since the coup d'etat on 7 February, we are deeply concerned for Shauna's safety. Please help us build support in calling on the government of the Republic of Maldives for her immediate release.
