Spokesperson for the joint opposition, Ahmed Mahloof has met with Namal Rajapaksa, member of the Sri Lankan parliament and son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
At the meeting that took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Saturday, the South-Galolhu constituency MP spoke to Namal regarding ‘the current political situation in Maldives’, including details regarding the persecution of opposition parliamentarians, as well as the opposition’s efforts to ensure a free and fair election next year.
Had a good chat with @RajapaksaNamal about the current political situation in Maldives pic.twitter.com/J2f1ZAsY9r
— Ahmed Mahloof (@AhmedMahloof) December 23, 2017
Prior to Mahloof’s meeting with Namal, tourism minister Moosa Zameer and Maldives Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mohamed Hussain Shareef met with him on the December 15.
A great discussion today with #Maldives Minister of Tourism Mr. Moosa Zameer (@MoosaZameer) and Ambassador to #SriLanka Mohamed Hussain Shareef (@mundhu_maldives). pic.twitter.com/qdhaxg4F9K
— Namal Rajapaksa (@RajapaksaNamal) December 16, 2017
A number of senior opposition figures are currently in exile in Sri Lanka. Opposition leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed is currently in Colombo as well, having traveled their numerous times since being granted political asylum in the United Kingdom in 2016. He was sentenced to 13 years is prison in March 2015, and was granted medical leave in January 2016.
While the former President was to meet with Maldivians residing in Sri Lanka on December 26, the event was cancelled due to threats to his life