Muad Mohamed Zaki
Muad Mohamed Zaki also spelled as Muad Mohamad Zaki with an A, (born 7 April 1982) was one of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party members on the streets among the hundreds that were brutally cracked down upon by the National Security Service (NSS) during an anti-government demonstration in the Maldives. The demonstration later become to be known as Black Friday in the Maldives.
He suffered multiple injury and blood loss from the incident. Later the European Union sent in a fact finding mission to assess what steps to be taken.
The Maldivian Democratic Party went on to win the Presidential elections in 2008 with the help of other parties, creating a coalition government for the first time in the country's history. After the change in government, Muad continued promoting freedom for Palestinians and peace for victims of wars through social media campaigns with other online peace activists.
His profession and expertise are from a number of different fields. Educated in International Relations & Security in United Kingdom, Certified E-Commerce Consultant and over 12 years in the International Shipping & Trading industry based in Malaysia, his experience and knowledge has helped him gain popularity.
The end of 2011, he left the Maldivian Democratic Party due to disagreement with what he saw as an increased authoritarian policies by President Nasheed and his close advisers. Early 2012, Muad went on to join the coalition opposition movement to Defend Islam in the Maldives to counter the President's increasing support to introduce a multi-religious society in the 100% Muslim populated nation. The opposition coalition movement was clamped down by the police on the orders from the Government which created scuffles between protesters and police. As the opposition protest grew larger daily and the decision by the country's chief criminal court judge to not accept cases where individuals were arrested without a warrant or reasonable reason, President Nasheed ordered the special forces to arrest the chief judge indefinitely. Social networks played an important part in mobilizing support against President Nasheed. On 7th Feb 2012, the Maldives President Nasheed stepped down on a live state run media, after the police and military joined the protestors and demanded his resignation.
Muad also is the current International Coordinator for an NGO called Maldives Unity Association (MUA) which works to assist in the development of local communities.
Maldives: Emergency and tyranny in the Blue Lagoon
[http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA29/005/2004/en/9e94f783-d59c-11dd-bb24-1fb85fe8fa05/asa290052004en.html: Amnesty International Report 1]
[http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA29/006/2004/en/224eac0d-d594-11dd-bb24-1fb85fe8fa05/asa290062004en.html: Amnesty International Report 2]
[http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/FA-20-2004: Asian Human Rights Commission Report on Muad Mohamed Zaki]
[http://www.muango.com: Maldives Unity Association]