Nine countries call on Maldives 'to take immediate steps to restore parliamentary independence'
A joint statement expressed alarm over the recent actions of the Government of Maldives
From a gathering held in front of the opposition headquarters in capital Malé City
Nine nations have expressed concern over the recent actions of the Maldives government that 'seriously damages and undermines democracy', calling on the Government of Maldives and other responsible authorities 'to take immediate steps to restore independence to Majlis and other key institutions and commissions'.
A joint statement issued by the Embassies of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka and Maldives on Tuesday expressed alarm over 'the recent actions of the Government of Maldives which seriously damage and undermine democracy, and run counter to the Maldives' Constitution and the country's human rights obligations'.
The statement comes a day after the parliament lockdown, with lawmakers forcibly removed from the parliament premises by officers from the Maldives Police Service (MPS) on Monday.
"The forcible closure of the nation's Majlis to its members; security forces surrounding and entering Parliament; and the harassment, intimidation and arrests of elected members of parliament are deeply troubling," reads the statement.
Noting that 'legitimate opposition remains a vital component of any healthy democracy,' the statement highlighted that 'opposition politicians and members of the civil society must be able to conduct their rightful duties without fear of intimidation of arrest'.
Furthermore, it noted it is important that the freedoms of assembly and expression are upheld for all citizens, adding that the government needs to 'respect fundamental freedoms'.
The parliament has been under lockdown since early Monday, to stop the no-confidence motion against speaker Abdulla Maseeh, which was scheduled for Monday.
While the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has remained silent over the matter, MPS has revealed that the institution had sought the police's assistance on Monday, to remove some individuals 'who were no longer parliamentarians' from the parliament premises.
While the police claimed to have been there to remove those who had entered the parliament premises 'illegally', it is important to note that officers had proceeded to remove all parliamentarians present. They were not allowed inside the premises on Tuesday as well.
