Public Outrage as Politicians Mock Autism and Down Syndrome on Air
Photo: Raajje TV
Former Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed Abdulla (Mosta) and former Colonel Ahmed Fayaz Ali Riza are under fire for making ableist remarks during a live broadcast on Raajje TV last night.
Speaking on the programme Kalaabaisa, they made derogatory comments, likening President Muizzu’s traits and behaviour to conditions such as Down syndrome and autism.
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The public figures made these statements while discussing Muizzu allegedly threatening the editor of Adhadhu earlier this month and criticising the current administration. Fayaz had said Muizzu’s actions are similar to those of children with autism.
“Truly he appears to have autism from the way he operates,” Fayaz said in Dhivehi.
Former MP Nasheed had then said he does not look like he has only autism, but Down Syndrome as well. Afterwards, along with the presenter for the program, the three of them mock people with these conditions, laughing as they say the country is operated by people with autism.
“I am saying he [President Muizzu] is a [mentally] ill child. You have to know when you call a journalist, it will be recorded,” Fayaz had said. “He doesn’t know because there is an issue with his brain, right?”
The comments have triggered outrage on social media. One such poster said regardless of how much one’s political ideologies clash, it is concerning when one goes on television and does not know the difference between what is an acceptable thing to say and what is not.
Regarding this issue, Mariyam Shiuna, said on X that it is questionable whether the three people on the television show were “in their right minds,” given they were mocking children with these conditions on television.
ސިޔާސީގޮތުން ހައްދު ފަހަނާ އަޅާގޮސް އޯޓިޒަމް ކުދިންނާއި، ޑައުންސިންޑްރޯމް ކުދިންނަށް ހަޖޫ ޖަހާއިރު މިތިބަ ބޮޑެތި ސިންގާ 3 ފިރިހެނުން މިތިބީ ހަމައިގަތޯ ސުވާލު އުފެދޭ. މިފަދަ ވާހަކަތަކެއް @Raajje_tv އިން ބްރޯޑްކާސްޓްކޮށްފައިމިވަނީ ހަމަ ރަނގަޅަށްތޯ؟ ކޮބާ އެކުދިންގެ ޙައްޤުތައް؟… pic.twitter.com/yH0M7BTzBn— Mariyam Shiuna (@shiuna_m) March 24, 2025
“One wonders if the three big men are politically radicalised when they mock children with autism and Down Syndrome children. Has Raajje TV broadcast these stories correctly? Where are their rights? [I] condemn mocking children with special needs in the name of political criticism,” she said in her post on X in Dhivehi.
