Two brothers employed at the state-owned Road Development Corporation (RDC) have been terminated from their positions following their participation in the opposition protest organized by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the capital, Malé City on October 3.

The terminations were formalized on October 13 through letters signed by RDC's Head of Human Resources, Ahmed Fahmy. The dismissed employees are Ahmed Adeeb, who served as Assistant Manager in the ICT Department at RDC’s Head Office, and Mohamed Areeb, who held the position of Senior Inventory Management Officer at the RDC site in Malé.

Their dismissal comes amid growing concerns over a pattern of punitive actions against individuals affiliated with the opposition. Despite President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s repeated campaign assurances that only political appointees would be removed from their posts, multiple civil servants and employees of state institutions have been sacked in apparent connection to their political views or participation in opposition-led demonstrations.

Beyond job terminations, there are increasing reports of harassment targeting opposition supporters. Allegations include the police seizing phones belonging to MDP-affiliated individuals and leaking personal photos, raising serious privacy and rights concerns.

Meanwhile, six individuals arrested during the October 3 protest remain in custody at Dhoonidhoo Prison. In parallel, the government has launched a wave of investigations into former ministers from the previous administration, carried out through independent oversight bodies such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Many of these inquiries are based on unverified or politically contentious allegations.

MDP has condemned these actions as politically motivated, describing them as part of a broader campaign to suppress dissent and intimidate opposition voices. The dismissals and continued arrests reflect a growing climate of political repression, undermining the administration’s public commitments to democratic norms and civil liberties.