Members of the opposition coalition’s peaceful protests are being arrested as an intimidation tactic, says Jumhoree Party (JP).

Anti-government protests were held on Friday in capital city Male’ and the atolls to call on authorities to implement the Supreme Court order on February 1 to release nine political prisoners and reinstate 12 opposition MPs.

In a statement on Friday, JP said it condemns the few police officers that oppress the citizens.

JP has called for the release of the MPs arrested at the protest, including Kinbidhoo MP and Jumhoree Party (JP)’s deputy leader Abdulla Riyaz, North-Henveiru MP and former speaker Abdulla Shahid, and Dhidhdhoo MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed.

The party said that police have been unlawfully making arrests and that there have been reports that some of the arrestees have attested to being abused in jail.