Maldives opposition figure, former foreign minister Abdulla Shahid arrested

New Delhi: Former Maldivian foreign minister and United Nations General Assembly president Abdulla Shahid has been arrested on suspicion of sexually harassing a child, Maldives police have said.

The 64-year-old, a leading contender for the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential nomination ahead of the 2028 election, was taken into custody at around 21:59 local time on Monday. Police said the case relates to an allegation of sexual harassment involving a child while he held a position of trust. The investigation is ongoing, and the claims have not been tested in court.

Shortly before his arrest, Shahid posted on X denying the claims. “The politically motivated stories being spread about me to assassinate my character are all false. I request not to spread such stories,” he wrote in Dhivehi and English. He has consistently described the accusations as baseless.

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Shahid is one of the Maldives’ most internationally known politicians. He served as foreign minister from 2018 to 2023 under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, presided over the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in 2021–22, and was Speaker of the People’s Majlis. He led the MDP from February 2024 until August 2026, when he stepped down to contest the party primary.

In recent weeks, he has been highly visible in the media, including an exclusive interview with WION in which he had criticised the govt. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, he urged President Mohamed Muizzu’s government to immediately publish the details of defence and maritime agreements signed during a recent visit to Pakistan, warning that secrecy risked “breeding mistrust.”

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The arrest comes at a sensitive moment in Maldivian politics. The MDP is preparing to choose its candidate to challenge Muizzu, and Shahid has positioned himself as a unifying, experienced figure with strong international credentials.