Court orders for body photos usual practice, police say
Police noted that the purpose of taking such photographs is to identify individuals for comparison with images or video footage from an investigation.
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The Maldives Police Service has issued a statement clarifying the procedures for obtaining external photographs and voice samples during criminal investigations, following criticism surrounding a recent court order involving senior Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) figures.
The Criminal Court had issued an order directing senior MDP activist Mariyam Zubair and MDP National Assembly member Ahmed Saleem to report to the police for the collection of external photographs—excluding genitalia—and voice samples. The order, which was part of an ongoing investigation, prompted public debate due to its phrasing, which some interpreted as authorising the photographing of the individuals without clothing.
According to the police, the procedure to collect external samples—such as photographs and voice recordings—can only be carried out with the individual’s consent. If consent is not granted, the police must obtain a court order. The statement explained that “external samples” refer to photographs of body parts excluding the genitals, while “body samples” would include genital images or internal samples, which require separate legal authorisation.
The police noted that the purpose of taking such photographs is to identify individuals for comparison with images or video footage from an investigation, or to analyse voice samples for identification purposes.
"This caveat clarifies that the warrant does not extend to the capture of inti-mate samples and authorises only the photographing of non-intimate areas. This practice is widely adopted in the Maldives to ensure precision in the scope of warrants and to safeguard against the un-authorised collection of intimate samples under the guise of non-invasive procedures," the statement read.
Police further clarified that it is not standard procedure to photograph individuals without clothing, even under a court order for external images. The statement emphasised that “police will take photographs and samples for investigative purposes only to the extent necessary for the investigation of the case.”
The Children’s Ombudsperson’s Office has filed the complaint against the accused, though further details of the complaint have not been disclosed.
