Political parties express discontent on suppression of political activity

The Joint Opposition has condemned the actions of police in dispersing opposition gatherings.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Joint Opposition expressed concern over the announcement of the curfew for rallies, in capital city.

The police had issued a curfew of 10:30 pm on political rallies with no exemptions earlier on Sunday, following an appeal by ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)'s spokesperson and Fonadhoo member of parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla made in a press conference held on Sunday afternoon.

The opposition has been holding nightly rallies in capital Male' city after President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom refused to implement a supreme court order ruling for the release of all nine political detainees and the reinstatement of the 12 opposition parliament members seats.

The opposition emphasized that the police had made the decision to declare a curfew on rallies, as appealed by PPM's deputy.

The joint parties have gone onto say that the suppression of political activity is against article 31 and 32 of the constitution which clearly state that every person employed in the Maldives and all other workers have the freedom to stop work and to strike in order to protest. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly without prior permission of the State.

While article 64 states that no employee of the State shall impose any orders on a person except under authority of a law and everyone has the right not to obey an unlawful order, the validity of the police curfew is in question. Therefore, the joint opposition has claimed that their political activities will go forth without any heed to restrictions that are in question, invalid.

They have also called on the protesters to disregard the police order and stand up for the sake of the country.

While the police have claimed that they are getting complaints from locals every night of the protests, the opposition rallies have been going forth, peacefully.