Maldives minister Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem suspended amid allegations of 'black magic' on President

The state minister for Environment, Climate Change, and Energy in Maldives, Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem, has been suspended following her arrest on accusations of performing "black magic" on President Mohamed Muizzu, as reported by local media.

On June 23, Shamnaz, along with her two siblings, was arrested and subsequently remanded in custody for seven days. She had previously been listed as a political appointee on the Environment Ministry's website but has now been moved to the list of former political appointees.

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Assistant Commissioner of Police Ahmed Shifan confirmed that police were investigating a case involving Shamnaz and two other individuals. Despite these developments, the Maldives government has not issued an official statement regarding the situation.

Shamnaz's political career includes serving as a member of the Male City Council alongside President Muizzu during his tenure as the city's mayor. Following Muizzu's election as President last year, Shamnaz resigned from the council and was subsequently appointed as state minister at Muliaage before being transferred to the Environment Ministry.

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Her role in addressing climate change issues is crucial for the Maldives, which faces existential threats from rising sea levels. UN environmental experts warned that these rising sea levels could render the nation nearly uninhabitable by the end of the century.

• Black magic
• Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem
• Maldives
• Maldives minister
• Mohamed Muizzu
• President
• Muliaage