October, Nur Sajat, a transgender woman, of the most vulnerable countries to climate successfully claimed asylum in Australia. She change and this will in turn affect the rights alleged that she was sexually assaulted while of its citizens. in police detention in January. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS ASSEMBLY Indigenous people in Kelantan state Throughout the year there were frequent protested plans to build a dam, with police crackdowns on protests, particularly community leaders alleging lack of free, prior those by opposition political groups. Media and informed consent. In July, an Indigenous personnel reporting on protests were also community filed a judicial review against the attacked or harassed by police. Police Selangor state government challenging a dispersed protesters, citing the Freedom of notice to evict them from their land to make Peaceful Assembly Act 2016 and health way for a tourism project. guidelines because of the Covid-19 DEATH PENALTY pandemic. The new Evidence Bill contained a worrying Progress towards the abolition of the death provision that would allow journalists to be penalty stalled although a moratorium on forced to reveal their sources, a contravention executions remained in place. Mandatory of media ethics and the right to freedom of death sentences continued to be imposed, expression. including for drug-related offences. On 6 May, an explosion targeted former President Mohamed Nasheed outside his 1. “Malaysia: Government must immediately withdraw draconian fake home. Mohamed Nasheed, the current Speaker of the Maldives’ Parliament, had news ordinance”, 15 March 2. “Malaysia: Drop investigations into the Undi18 protest”, 30 March previously spoken out against alleged 3. “Malaysia: PM’s resignation must restore respect for freedom of corruption and extremist groups operating in the Maldives. He was seriously injured in the expression and assembly”, 17 August 4. “Malaysia: Immigration raids on migrant workers during lockdown blast along with four others. According to media reports, the police stated that the 3.0”, 3 June explosion was orchestrated by “Islamic State sympathizers”. MALDIVES Investigations continued against the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN), a Republic of Maldives widely respected NGO, which was de- Head of state and government: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih registered and banned by the authorities in November 2019 and had its bank accounts The space for freedom of expression and closed in 2020. The investigations concerned dissent shrank. The impunity enjoyed by allegations of blasphemy against Islam, in Islamist groups had a chilling effect on civil relation to a report published by MDN in society and opposition voices. 2016. By the end of the year there had been BACKGROUND no thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into MDN’s forced closure. The archipelago remained vulnerable to The government had yet to respond to the climate change and experienced increased targeting of the women’s rights organization flooding, erosion and fresh water shortages. Uthema by extremist groups in April 2020. The government of the Maldives committed The groups called for Uthema to be banned, to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030, labelling the organization “anti-Islam”. The subject to receiving the technical and authorities’ inaction was despite Uthema financial support required from the calling for the government to facilitate a international community. The Maldives is one dialogue with groups opposed to its work. Amnesty International Report 2021/22 244