Acoustic Device Used to Disperse Protest Has Been in Police Arsenal Since 2013, Minister Ihusaan Confirms

The government has defended the use of a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) by police to disperse demonstrators during an opposition-led protest last Friday, affirming that the technology has been in operational use since 2013.

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan confirmed the deployment of the LRAD during the protest organised by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), following criticism on social media over the device’s use.

Authorities stated that the protest was broken up under lawful authority after participants allegedly violated public order regulations. Police cited specific actions by demonstrators, including confronting officers, removing and throwing barricades, attempting to seize police shields, and engaging in unlawful conduct after obtaining a shield.

In a statement shared on social media, Minister Ihusaan outlined the history of LRAD deployment by the Maldives Police Service (MPS). “Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD) was first used by Maldives Police Service in 2013. First model (LRAD 450 XL) was mounted on a vehicle (sound vehicle) used by Police Special Operations,” he said.

The LRAD 100X model, used in the recent dispersal, had previously been deployed during a demonstration in May 2023. “The model, LRAD 100 X (which was used during the Police operations in the evening of 3rd October 2025) was first used in May 2023 during Public order Operations,” Minister Ihusaan explained.

He also noted that the LRAD is widely adopted by law enforcement and military agencies across more than 100 countries. “LRAD systems are currently used by public safety agencies, militaries and law enforcement agencies of over 100 countries for long-range communication, crowd control, border security, maritime safety, and emergency notifications,” he elaborated.