Canada's Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS Institute) has backed the call by Amnesty International to release Member of Parliament for South-Galolhu constituency Ahmed Mahloof.

Executive Director Kyle Matthews had in the early hours of Monday posted a tweet which reads that the MIG Institute stands with Amnesty International in the call for MP Mahloof's release.

In a tweet posted on Monday, Secretary General of Amnesty International, Salil Shetty had written that "Amnesty International believes that Ahmed Mahloof is a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release."

Amnesty International released a statement on Friday highlighting that MP Mahloof is falsely charged of terrorism and obstruction of police duty for taking part in peaceful protests, as well as 'false reporting' for two tweets about the police service, in order to gain political incentives. 

The statement further reads that the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly have been under attack in the Maldives over recent years and increasingly so following the government's decision to impose a state of emergency in February 2018.

Amnesty further urged all human rights defenders in different continents of the world to immediately share their statement with Attorney General Mohamed Anil, Prosecutor General Aishath Bisham, and copies to Commissioner of Police Ahmed Shihan before the 22nd of June 2018.

Following MIGS Institute's backing of Amnesty International's call to free him, MP Mahloof had expressed his gratitude to both institutions for their support via twitter.

Alongside MIGS Institue, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) had also in a tweet highlighted that Mahloof faces upto 20 years in prison for fabricated charges on terrorism, obstruction of police duty and false reporting.

PGA is a non-partisan international network of committed legislators that informs parliamentarians in all regions of the world to advocate for human rights and the rule of law, democracy, human security, non-discrimination and gender equality.