Transparency Maldives has expressed concern over fraudulent practices involving the misuse of personal information in submitting membership forms to political parties to the Elections Commission of Maldives.
Transparency has issued a statement at a time a major scandal has unfolded regarding the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), led by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, allegedly stealing data from the Department of National Registration (DNR) database, forging signatures, providing false evidence, and registering many people to the party without their knowledge to increase the ruling party’s membership count.
TM has stressed that obtaining and misusing information from state records and private individuals' information is a concerning matter that infringes on individuals' right to privacy.
The statement goes on to read that these actions are not only violations of the Political Parties Act but also contradict the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 24 and 30 of the Constitution of Maldives, which ensure the right to privacy and the right to participate in political activities.
The organization also stated that every citizen should be able to freely exercise their right to join a political party and participate in political activities.
The statement reads that joining a political party is a personal decision of every citizen and that this is something that needs to be decided with awareness and of one's own free will.
The statement has been issued at a time several have been flooding social media with concerns over hundreds of them being registered to the ruling party without their knowledge.
In addition to highlighting that obtaining and misusing personal information from state and private records is a concerning matter that infringes on individuals' right to privacy, the organization also stated that it is important to conduct a swift and independent investigation to determine why the system is designed to allow political use of data without the owner's permission or consent, and to take necessary ethical and legal measures against individuals, institutions, and parties involved in or encouraging such actions.
While adding and transferring members to political parties through deception has been repeatedly reported by media and individuals, it is concerning that no action has been taken against any party or institution for violating fundamental rights by misusing personal information.
Transparency stated that in a representative democracy, political parties are an important link between the government and the people. Therefore, political parties need to maintain ethical standards and operate transparently in their activities and policies. The organization also said it is essential to have strong internal mechanisms within parties, especially in handling personal information and sensitive data.
Highlighting that independent institutions have the responsibility to play an important role in overseeing government activities, protecting fundamental rights, and ensuring transparency through their independent work, Transparency said that the Elections Commission of Maldives, which has the mandate to ensure free and fair elections, should verify that there is no coercion or deception in registering members to political parties.
TM further stated that they should take swift action on their own initiative to listen to public concerns and hold those responsible for these violations accountable. Finding quick and meaningful solutions to such issues related to people's rights is not only a way to increase trust in political institutions but also to protect the right of citizens to freely join the political party of their choice.
At a time when the issue of fraudulently registering many people to the ruling PNC has become a grave issue, TM’s statement has called on the Elections Commission of Maldives to treat the issue of deceptively registering members to political parties as a special case, conduct a transparent and comprehensive investigation, and take action against those involved.
In addition to this, they have called to:
- Erase the records of citizens submitted and accepted as members of political parties without their consent through deception,
- Take steps to strengthen internal mechanisms of political parties with adequate checks and balances to ensure accountability and transparency, and introduce a system for regular monitoring and review of such matters,
- Implement strong verification mechanisms by the Elections Commission of Maldives to verify the authenticity of forms submitted for joining political parties,
- Conduct a full review of the current security measures of main databases containing important and personal information of citizens and strengthen the legal framework to protect and safeguard citizens' personal information,
- Raise awareness among political institutions to promote democratic principles, inform the public about ways personal information is misused, and strengthen complaint and resolution mechanisms,
- Develop and implement a robust Data Protection Act that includes standards and principles that state and private institutions handling citizens' personal information must follow.
The organization stated that to maintain trust in the government and political parties, the fundamental right to privacy must be ensured, and people should have the opportunity to make informed decisions of their own free will.
Before concluding the statement, TM highlighted that democracy’s foundation can be maintained through implementing necessary measures to protect rights, strengthening information privacy, and establishing strong accountability systems.
