Saturday’s arrest of MP Faris Maumoon through President Abdulla Yameen’s influence is unlawful, says Mohamed Shifaz, deputy leader of main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

MP Faris was arrested and remanded for 15 days on Saturday, two days following his release after six months in jail.

In a tweet, Shifaz said it was known that President Yameen had influenced police commissioner Ahmed Areef and other officers to arrest Faris.

Prior to his arrest, Faris told journalists that he had met with commissioner Areef who informed that President Yameen had been ordering the police service to have him arrested.

Ibrahim Muaz Ali, spokesperson of the president’s office, also confirmed in a tweet that the president had requested the police service to execute the court warrant for Faris’ arrest.

Police on Saturday also searched the homes of Faris as well as that of his father and opposition leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Faris was arrested on allegations of bribing fellow lawmakers and planning to overthrow the government.