Maumoon Abdul Gayoom



Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (born 29 December 1937) was President of the Republic of Maldives from 1978 to 2008.

BBC World interview (2003)

 * Interview with Adam Mynott, as quoted in "Freedom of expression guaranteed by constitution in Maldives, Gayyoom tells BBC" in Maldives Culture (18 October 2003)


 * My main objective has been to raise the standard of living of the people, to achieve social and economic progress.


 * I think our human rights record is very good. ... there is no systematic human rights abuses in the Maldives, there are no arbitrary arrests and people are tried in open court and they have access to lawyers.


 * These people where inciting people to violence. That is not allowed in any country, in any democracy. You don't allow that in the United Kingdom, you don't allow that in the United States, or anywhere in the world.


 * Freedom of expression is guaranteed by our constitution.


 * When asked about why the opposition members were arrested, Gayyoom replied "Violence, Violence, Violence"

2007

 * Yes, because that conceals their character. You don't know who you are talking to. Who you are dealing with. So, the face should be seen. That is even in Islam, even during the time of the holy Prophet Mohammed, women used to have bare faces. I mean women did not cover their faces. "
 * When asked by al jazeera journalist, Juliana Ruhfus (in an interview on 8 August 2007) that there is a law (in Maldives) that women are not allowed to wear a dress that only shows the eyes.