By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Former Maldives foreign minister and opposition presidential hopeful Abdulla Shahid on Tuesday has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor, police said, in a development that comes as he campaigns for his party’s nomination for the 2028 presidential election.
Abdulla Shahid, a former UN General Assembly president seeking the Maldives opposition’s 2028 presidential nomination, was arrested on November 2 under a court warrant. He denies the allegation involved a minor.
Shahid, 64-year-old politician, who served as president of the UNGA was taken into custody at 9.59 pm local time on Monday under a court warrant. Shahid has denied the allegations, described them as politically motivated attempts to damage his reputation.
The Maldives Police Service confirmed that Shahid was arrested in connection with allegations involving a person under the age of 18, media reported.
Police said an investigation was underway but did not publicly disclose further details of the alleged offence or the evidence under examination.
According to local media reports, officers took Shahid into custody at his residence in Hulhumalé, a residential area near the capital, Malé.
The Edition reported that he was initially taken to the Hulhumalé Police Station before being transferred to the Dhoonidhoo police custody centre.
Shahid issued a statement on social media rejecting claims circulating about him.
He described them as baseless and accused unnamed individuals of attempting to damage his reputation for political reasons.
Shahid also urged people not to circulate unsubstantiated allegations.
His claim of political targeting has not been independently established, and police have not publicly linked the investigation to his political activities.
The arrest comes at a sensitive point in preparations for the Maldives’ 2028 presidential election.
Shahid is seeking the presidential nomination of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, which lost power to President Mohamed Muizzu in the 2023 election.
He resigned as MDP president in August 2026 to contest the party’s internal presidential primary.
The decision had placed him in the race for the opposition nomination without retaining control of the party’s top organizational position.
Shahid has occupied senior positions in Maldivian politics and international diplomacy for decades.
He served as the Maldives’ foreign minister from 2018 to 2023 under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
He was Speaker of the People’s Majlis, the Maldivian Parliament, between 2009 and 2014.
His international profile rose when he was elected president of the 76th session of the UNGA served from 2021 to 2022.
Shahid became president of the MDP in February 2024 before stepping down in August 2026 to seek its presidential nomination.
Shahid argued that candidates competing in the party primary should do so on equal terms, without the advantage of holding the party presidency,he explained his decision to step down.
