DDCom Dissolved: Unresolved Cases Remain as Commission Ends Mandate

The Presidential Commission on Deaths and Disappearances (DDCom) has officially been dissolved. This decision marks the end of the commission’s independent investigation into a series of unsolved murders, enforced disappearances, and abductions that occurred between January 1, 2012, and November 17, 2018.

President Muizzu signed the decision to dissolve DDCom yesterday, stating that the commission had completed its assigned work. This decision comes after recent calls from civil society organizations for DDCom to release its findings publicly. These organizations demanded that at least a redacted version of the findings be shared with the public and the victims’ families.

advertisement

advertisement

advertisement

DDCom’s investigations included high-profile cases such as the murder of MP and religious scholar Afrasheem Ali, the enforced disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan, and the murder of blogger and Human Rights Defender Yameen Rasheed. The commission investigated 27 cases with the support of international experts, including the FBI and the Western Australia Police.

Established in 2018 by then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, DDCom was initially given a two-year mandate. However, the commission’s work extended beyond the intended period, with many cases still needing to be solved.

Following President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s election in November of last year, the victims’ families requested an extension of DDCom’s mandate. In response to these requests, President Muizzu granted the commission an extension until the end of May 2024 to complete its investigations.

In response, DDCom indicated they would submit their investigative reports and recommendations to the President’s Office before their dissolution. They also suggested making the findings public to the extent possible.

In 2019, the commission incurred a total of MVR 2 million in expenses, while the remuneration and allowances for the commission from 2018 to 2021 amounted to MVR 4.8 million. As DDCom concludes its mandate, attention is now turning to the publication of its findings and the potential impact on ongoing and future efforts to address these serious human rights issues.