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Sheikh Fareed was fit and healthy when he was taken to prison last year after the mass protests in Male on August 2003. Even before he was taken to prison, he was blindfolded and beaten up in the police headquarters in Male'. Over a dozen police kicked him with their ankle boots till he knocked unconscious for hours. His beard was pulled and hairs were even plucked off by police torturers. Now Sheikh Fareed can barely walk and requires a aid. He cannot even sit down without a "cushion ring" as shown in the video because of severe pain to his spine and anus. To this day, even after all the tortures and grief he has gone through, Sheikh Fareed has still not signed any statement but he is serving a prison term for allegedly violating the Protection of Religious Unity of Maldivians Act and sentenced for 2 years imprisonment on 26 September 2004 whilst he was held in connection with the demonstrations of Black Friday. Fareed was held in Solitary confinement for more than 20 months in 2002/2003 for the said charges which we not proven nor was Fareed given access to a lawyer. Government of Gayyoom even alleged that Fareed was a terrorist in a letter to Amnesty International last year.
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18/03/2005