Former Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid has been arrested over allegations of sexually abusing a minor under the age of 18.
The arrest of the 64-year-old politician who is well known in Maldivian politics and had international diplomatic experience has been watched closely in the country because of his background.
The Maldives Police Service said that Shahid was arrested on the night of November 2, 2026 at 9:59 pm local time under court warrant. Police confirmed that the case is suspected sexual abuse of a child below 18 years old and further investigations are ongoing.
Officials have not publicly released details of the allegations or who is alleged to be the victim. The investigation is ongoing and no conviction has been announced in connection with the case.
Abdulla Shahid Rejects Allegations
Shahid had responded to allegations against him shortly before his arrest on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) with a post in which he strongly rejected the claims as baseless and politically motivated.
He also asked people not to spread unverified information or rumours about the matter. His statement came shortly after police said he had been taken into custody.
The arrest has put the former foreign minister in the public eye. But allegations remain under investigation and Shahid’s denial is part of developments in the case too.
Who Is Abdulla Shahid
Abdulla Shahid is one of the Maldives’ most prominent political figures and diplomats. Throughout his decades-long career he has held several important positions in government and political institutions of the country.
He was Maldives' Foreign Affairs Minister from 2018 to 2023 under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. He represented the country in various international diplomatic engagements during this time.
One of his most notable achievements was in 2021 when he became President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly. He held office from September 2021 to September 2022 and gave international recognition to Maldives.
Before becoming foreign minister Shahid was also Speaker of People's Majlis (Maldives Parliament) from 2009 to 2014. He became president of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in February 2024.
In August 2026 he resigned from the party leadership to run for MDP's presidential nomination in the 2028 elections.
Arrest Comes Ahead of Maldives' 2028 Presidential Race
Shahid’s arrest comes at a politically sensitive time as he had been campaigning for his party to be nominated for the next presidential election.
As a prominent opposition leader and former head of MDP he was seen as a potential candidate in the party’s preparations for the 2028 presidential election.
The arrest could affect his political ambitions and the opposition party’s election preparations but for now it is all about police investigation and legal proceedings that may follow.
The Maldives Police Service has said investigations are ongoing. More details of the case will emerge as authorities pursue them further.
For now Shahid has denied the allegations but the case is under investigation. His arrest is a major development in Maldivian politics as it involves a former foreign minister who once represented the country on one of the world’s most important diplomatic platforms.
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