Maldives Police Service has launched an investigation into an alleged case of cyberbullying involving school students on an island within the Central Police jurisdiction.
Police said the incident involved a group of students who are suspected of harassing a fellow pupil over the internet. The Standard and MV+ reported that the harassment is understood to have taken place on the short-video platform TikTok.
The probe is being conducted in coordination with relevant authorities. Police have not released the name of the island, the school or any of the students involved, and no further details have been made public.
The case comes as the government has been drafting dedicated anti-bullying legislation. President Mohamed Muizzu previously said amendments to the Penal Code in 2024 already criminalised certain forms of cyber violence, including cyberstalking, and that a specific anti-bullying law was under preparation to cover schools, workplaces and other settings.
Police have in the past seized multiple Instagram “confession pages” linked to schools in Malé after they were found to be posting abusive content about students and teachers. Authorities have repeatedly urged the public not to share material that could identify victims of bullying or abuse.
