MPs Mahloof and Mohamed Abdulla released
Opposition parliamentarians Ahmed Mahloof and Mohamed ‘Muhamma’ Abdulla were released shortly after being taken into custody from an opposition rally on Wednesday night.
They were released at around 12:30am, after being arrested at the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rally calling to implement the initial Supreme Court ruling.
MP Mahloof told RaajjeMV that the police’s ‘behaviour’ towards them had changed. Noting that ‘they were very kind’, the lawmaker said that he hoped ‘to see more good actions from the police’.
Prior to their release, Mahloof’s wife Nazra Naseem tweeted that he was arrested on the orders of Police Commissioner Abdulla Nawaz.
The opposition has been taking to the streets since February 1, when the top court issued the controversial ruling ordering the immediate release of nine high profile figures, including former President Mohamed Nasheed. However, President Abdulla Yameen refused to implement the ruling, and instead chose to declare a state of emergency on the 5th, and continued to arrest more prominent figures, such as former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
He also had authorities arrest Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed, which was followed by an amendment to the first Supreme Court; an annulment of the clause ordering the release of the ‘political prisoners’.
