Mohamed Latheef (died 3 july 2022) was a

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

politician, a former parliamentarian and a campaigner for human rights. He is a co-founder of the MDP (

Maldivian Democratic Party The Maldivian Democratic Party ( dv, ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ޕާޓީ, ''Dhivehi Rayyithunge Dimocretic Pati''; MDP) is the first political party formed in the Republic of Maldives with a total membership ...

), a political party. He was self-

exile Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...

d in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

for a number of years. Laheef was educated in Sri Lanka, first at

Trinity College, Kandy "Look to the End" , mottoes = , founder = John Ireland Jones , established = , type = Independent Private , affiliation = Church of Ceylon, Anglican , grade ...

and then at the

Royal College, Colombo Royal College, Colombo is a selective entry boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started as a private school by Rev Joseph Marsh in 1835, it was established as the Colombo Academy by Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton in Janua ...

. Latheef has alleged that his father and close relatives were killed while in prison during the regime of the former Maldivian President

Ibrahim Nasir Ibrahim Nasir Rannabandeyri Kilegefan ( dv, އިބްރާހިމް ނާޞިރު ރަންނަބަނޑޭރި ކިލޭގެފާނު), KCMG, NGIV (''Nishan Ghaazeege 'Izzatheri Veriya'', dv, ނިޝާން ޣާޒީގެ ޢިއްޒަތްތެރި ވެރ ...

. Latheef, who was himself a member of parliament and once a close associate of President Gayoom, was held in solitary confinement for three months without any charges being brought against him. He is the father of

Jennifer Latheef Jennifer Latheef (born 1973) is a daughter of Mohamed Latheef, a leading Maldivian politician and government critic. She also worked as a Maldivian journalist and photographer for a short period of time. According to an Amnesty International r ...

, a 32-year-old journalist who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her alleged involvement in the civil unrest of 2003 Latheef is currently the Human Rights Ambassador of the Maldives.

External links

MDP English-language website
Members of the People's Majlis Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Alumni of Royal College, Colombo Maldivian Democratic Party politicians Alumni of Trinity College, Kandy {{Maldives-politician-stub