Popular preacher Dr. Mohamed Iyaz has called on Islamic Minister Dr. Ahmed Ziyad to resign.

Dr. Iyaz of opposition Adhaalath Party (AP) said this after the minister questioned the credentials of some of the 40 religious scholars who signed a petition for the release of the party’s leader, Imran Abdulla.

After Minister Ziyad described the scholars who gave their signatures as being uneducated, Dr. Iyaz on social media said that he should resign if Minister Ziyad was unaware of the notable scholars in Maldives.

Dr. Iyaz also said that there are more scholars who didn’t sign the petition out of fear of government oppression.

40 nationally renowned Islamic scholars signed the petition to express their concern that Imran Abdulla was unlawfully imprisoned for terrorism-related charges.