MP Mahloof asks Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to boycott trip to Maldives

MP for Galolhu South constituency Ahmed Mahloof has asked Amitabh Bachchan to boycott the Maldives, after local media outlets reported that the Bollywood megastar is to visit the Maldives in September.

In a tweet sent out on Monday, Mahloof told Bachchan that the country's "leaders are jailed" and that the people of the Maldives are being "deprived of [their] constitutional rights and freedom".

"Please boycott your trip to Maldives," he asked Bachchan.

Mahloof sent a second tweet later in the day, noting the Government of Maldives is at this moment denying urgent medical treatment abroad to jailed former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim. He also attached a photo of 21 opposition lawmakers to the tweet.

Earlier in the day, local media outlets reported that Bachchan will arrive in the Maldives in September, in order to take part in a conference held by the World Health Organization (WHO), in his capacity as its Goodwill Ambassador.

He was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in South-East Asia region in May 2017.

A total of 11 countries are to take part in the conference, including leaders of WHO.

While the lawmaker had noted that "our leaders are jailed," it is important to note that with the sentencing of Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim to three years, two months 12 days in prison last week, leaders of all the main opposition parties have now been imprisoned; leader of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), former President Mohamed Nasheed to 13 years; Adhaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla to 12 years.