Police have faced backlash following a statement denying their involvement in leaking a private photo from the confiscated mobile phone of a young female opposition activist.

Aishath Shimon Ahmed, 20, was cornered near her home in Male' late on Wednesday night, where officers snatched the phone without showing a warrant.

Police refused to explain why her phone was snatched and initially did not comply with demands to see a court warrant for its seizure.

But they later showed the warrant and accused the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) youth wing member of posting on social media to threaten President Mohamed Muizzu.

Less than 24 hours after her phone was seized, an anonymous account on social media X leaked the photo from her phone.

X has now suspended the account after multiple social media users reported it for violating the platform's rules.

In an interview with Adhadhu, Shimon accused the police of leaking the photo from her phone.

"That data was only on my phone. Nowhere else. That photo cannot be found anywhere else. Police took my phone, confiscated it and less than 24 hours passed before it was leaked. That information will not be anywhere else," she said.

In a statement shortly after Adhadhu published the news, the Maldives Police Service denied leaking the photo from the phone in their custody.

They claimed that evidence, including digital devices, is handled in accordance with international standards.

"There is no possibility of information leaking from any mobile phone confiscated by the Maldives Police Service," it stated.

But their denial faced fierce backlash from social media users, who raised questions about the integrity and professionalism of the institution.

Former Attorney General Dhiyana Saeed.

Former MP Rozaina Adam.

Earlier this year, Shimon was arrested and charged in connection with youth protests demanding justice for a young woman found with injuries on a roof in Male'.

She was charged under Section 532 of the Penal Code, which states that it is an offence to intentionally prevent or obstruct a law enforcement officer.

The basic punishment for the offence is four months and 24 days in jail. The maximum penalty for the offence is one year in prison.