Maldives Police Service (MPS) has confiscated phone of social media activist Thayyib Shameem in an apparent witch hunt for his informers.

His phone was confiscated on Monday, while he was in a café in capital Male’ City under a Criminal Court order.

The order, issued by Judge Adam Arif, says his phone was to be confiscated as part of an ongoing investigation into his social media posts on President Abdullah Yameen, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) President Hassan Luthufee and other senior Government officials and to find out his informants.

Thayyib's phone was confiscated for a period of 30 days.

Thayyib was jailed for a month back in March, following his posts made about the H1N1 breakout in Male’.

Amnesty International had declared him as a Prisoner of Conscience.