Maldives Police Service (MPS) has revealed that their decision to appeal the demotion of the seven Drug Enforcement officers comes as the punishment is deemed insufficient.

Police Media Official revealed that the case was appealed at the MPS appeal committee as Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed believed the punishment was insufficient compared to similar such cases, which have seen bigger penalties.

The seven officers were suspended in July after MPS ran a criminal investigation into a video that went viral on social media showing them beating a civilian during a drug operation. Police’s disciplinary board earlier announced the verdict to demote them and strip them of their medals after careful investigations.

Arrested during the drug operation was a Bangladeshi national, from a house in Maafannu ward.

Commissioner Hameed had in July ordered the police’s Professional Standards Command to investigate the case the very same night, having released a statement noting that such acts are “against its code of practice and ethics”.

The case was appealed on 11 September.