Former Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid Arrested Over Alleged Child Sexual Abuse

Former Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid, 64, has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor under the age of 18, the Maldives Police Service has confirmed. The arrest comes as the veteran politician campaigns for the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) presidential nomination ahead of the 2028 elections.

According to the police, Shahid was arrested under a court warrant at 9:59 pm on Monday, November 2. In a statement, authorities said he was taken into custody on suspicion of sexually abusing a person below the age of 18 and that further investigations were underway.

Local media reported that Shahid was arrested from his residence at the Rainbow Ocean Front apartment complex in Hulhumale'. He was initially taken to the Hulhumale' Police Station before being transferred to the Dhoonidhoo custodial centre. Police have not publicly disclosed further details about the allegations or the identity of the alleged victim.

Shahid has denied the allegations, describing the claims circulating against him as politically motivated attempts to damage his reputation. In a post on X shortly before his arrest, he called the allegations "completely baseless lies" and urged people not to spread unsubstantiated claims.

His son, Yameen Shahid, also publicly defended him following the arrest. In a post on X, he said he knew his father's character and values and stood by him. He also called for fairness and due process, saying the family would support Shahid as he faced the allegations.

The arrest has drawn attention because of Shahid's prominent position in Maldivian politics. He is a leading contender for the MDP's presidential nomination and had been travelling to different islands as part of his campaign for the party's 2028 presidential primary.

Shahid served as the Maldives' foreign minister twice, first from 2007 to 2008 under former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and later from 2018 to 2023 under Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. He also served as Speaker of the People's Majlis, the country's parliament, from 2009 to 2014.

In June 2021, Shahid was elected president of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, serving in the position from September 2021 to September 2022. He was the first Maldivian to hold the post.

A member of the MDP since 2013, Shahid became the party's president in February 2024. He stepped down in August 2026 to contest its presidential primary. He began his career at the Maldives' Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984 and has held several diplomatic and political positions over more than four decades.

In 2021, he was also awarded the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin, the Maldives' highest state honour.