| DATE: 2007-04-19 |
MALE, April 19 (HNS) - The dead body of Hussain Solah, found floating in the Male’ harbor, is being readied to be taken to Sri Lanka for the autopsy, Solah’s family has confirmed. Solah's family's lawyer, Husnu Suood, said today that he estimated that Solah’s body would be sent to Sri Lanka around 10:00pm tonight in order to do the autopsy to determine the cause of his death. He also said that the arrangements were now being finalized and that the work was being done in collaboration with Solah’s family, the Sri Lankan High Commission in Maldives and the Maldivian Government.
“The Sri Lankan High Commission is now negotiations with the Sri Lankan government to get the necessary authorizations,” he said. “The Maldivian Government is also doing its part.”
Suood said that once the Government had agreed to send Solah’s body to Sri Lanka as soon as possible, the Sri Lankan High Commission had been the first to offer its help to Solah’s family. The family had readily accepted the offer.
“However the family has also requested that despite the High Commission’s assistance, the family would like to bear the cost of all the expenses incurred,” Suood continued, saying that the expenses will be taken care of by Aries Enterprises Pvt. Ltd, a company with close ties to the family.
Foreign Minister, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, in an interview with Voice of Maldives, said that Amnesty International observers had also been invited to attend Solah’s autopsy. He said this was done in an effort to ensure that the autopsy was carried out as openly and in the most transparent manner possible.
Twenty-seven year old Hussain Solah had been arrested and brought to Male on the 9th of this month on drug related charges. According to Police he was released on the 13th of the month and was subsequently found dead, with severe head injuries, floating in the harbor. A row between the government and the family had ensued when the family’s request for an autopsy had been denied and had eventually led to the government bringing in experts from abroad to do an autopsy. The family had refused to allow the autopsy to continue in Male and requested that he be taken abroad for the post-mortem to be carried out. The government had agreed to the request on Wednesday.
Solah’s body is currently being kept at the Galholhu Cemetery’s mortuary and the surrounding area has been continually patrolled by members of the Maldives Police Service since the body was brought there.
“The Sri Lankan High Commission is now negotiations with the Sri Lankan government to get the necessary authorizations,” he said. “The Maldivian Government is also doing its part.”
Suood said that once the Government had agreed to send Solah’s body to Sri Lanka as soon as possible, the Sri Lankan High Commission had been the first to offer its help to Solah’s family. The family had readily accepted the offer.
“However the family has also requested that despite the High Commission’s assistance, the family would like to bear the cost of all the expenses incurred,” Suood continued, saying that the expenses will be taken care of by Aries Enterprises Pvt. Ltd, a company with close ties to the family.
Foreign Minister, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, in an interview with Voice of Maldives, said that Amnesty International observers had also been invited to attend Solah’s autopsy. He said this was done in an effort to ensure that the autopsy was carried out as openly and in the most transparent manner possible.
Twenty-seven year old Hussain Solah had been arrested and brought to Male on the 9th of this month on drug related charges. According to Police he was released on the 13th of the month and was subsequently found dead, with severe head injuries, floating in the harbor. A row between the government and the family had ensued when the family’s request for an autopsy had been denied and had eventually led to the government bringing in experts from abroad to do an autopsy. The family had refused to allow the autopsy to continue in Male and requested that he be taken abroad for the post-mortem to be carried out. The government had agreed to the request on Wednesday.
Solah’s body is currently being kept at the Galholhu Cemetery’s mortuary and the surrounding area has been continually patrolled by members of the Maldives Police Service since the body was brought there.
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