Former Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid arrested on child sexual abuse charges

Former Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid. File | Photo Credit: AP Former Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid was arrested late on Monday (November 2, 2026) on charges of child sexual abuse, the Maldives Police said.Mr. Shahid has denied the allegations, local media said. He was arrested around 10 p.m. local time following a court order.The arrest assumes significance as Mr. Shahid —who served as President of the United Nations General Assembly in 2021-22— is among the prominent presidential aspirants within the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for the island nation’s 2028 elections.Mr. Shahid, who was in New Delhi recently, criticised President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to Pakistan in media interviews, accusing him of steering the Maldives in an “anti-India” direction. Published - November 03, 2026 10:10 am IST