Maldives climate minister tries 'black magic' on President Muizzu, arrested

Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem, the state minister for environment, climate change, and energy in the Maldives, was arrested on Sunday along with two others in the capital city of Malé, police reported on Thursday. Shamnaz has been remanded in custody for a week pending further investigations.

Local media outlet Sun reported that Shamnaz was accused of performing "black magic" on President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, though police neither confirmed nor denied these allegations. Details surrounding the arrest remain undisclosed by the authorities.

The Maldives, a Muslim-majority nation on the frontlines of the climate crisis, faces unique challenges as rising sea levels threaten its habitability by the end of the century, according to UN environment experts. 

Despite sorcery not being a criminal offense under the national penal code, it can result in a six-month jail sentence under Islamic law.

Traditional ceremonies are widely practiced across the archipelago, believed by many to influence favors or curse opponents. In a related incident, a 62-year-old woman was murdered in April 2023 by three neighbors on Manadhoo, who accused her of conducting black magic. A lengthy police investigation, however, found no evidence supporting the claims of sorcery against the victim.

The Maldives has a history of incidents involving alleged black magic. In 2012, police disrupted an opposition political rally, accusing the organizers of throwing a "cursed rooster" at officers during a raid.