About 50 or so individuals currently in state custody are on hunger strike, over unimproving conditions and authorities’ delay in addressing the matter, starting Thursday afternoon. 

On Tuesday, those detained under the state of emergency ongoing in the Maldives had requested a meeting with acting police commission Abdulla Nawaz and deputy commissioner Hamdhoon Rasheed.

A number of individuals are currently detained under the state of emergency, including former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, his son-in-law Mohamed Nadheem, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, Justice Ali Hameed, and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s deputy Mohamed Shifaz.

Chief Justice Saeed and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom are both on hunger strike as well, some lawyers have said.