President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has revealed the truth about a photograph taken with David Hardingham, a British citizen who was deported by the government of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for allegedly spreading Christianity in the Maldives.
A photo of President Muizzu with Hardingham, an activist who founded the Friends of Maldives organization in the UK, began circulating on social media after an anonymous X account posted the photo.
The photo with Hardingham shows President Muizzu and Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidar, Deputy Managing Director of Maldives Integrated Tourism Development Corporation (MITDC) Nishwan Abbas and Deputy High Commissioner to the UK Mohamed Ahmed.
President Muizzu said the photo was taken when he went to debate with Hardingham in defence of Islam while studying in the UK.
"We went there that day, I think it is an organization called Friends of Maldives, which the British man had founded. We went to confront them because the MDP leaders at the time were doing secular things and saying things that were not related to our country,” he said.
"We confronted him there at the meeting, asked him questions. When they said let's take a photo, I was very far away from him in the back row. I was in the photo. If anything can be proven from the photo, then so be it. But the reality is what I just stated."
Hardingham was deported in 2005 for allegedly trying to spread Christianity in Maldives. He was also accused of trying to smuggle weapons into Maldives through extremist groups.
