Main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has called for the release of HA. Dhidhdhoo Council President Ali Hashim.

MDP said Hashim was arrested over baseless allegations and that the police had not found any incriminating evidence at his house.

The party said that the government has repeatedly harassed him prior to the arrest including suspending him for calling on authorities to abide by the Supreme Court order on February 1 to release political prisoners and opposition MPs.

He was also suspended in 2017 for telling people that the government had given the housing units in Dhidhdhoo to ruling party loyalists without any input from the island council, MDP noted.

The party also said that the government’s obstruction of councilors goes against the principles of decentralization and that the arrest of the Dhidhdhoo Council President is a ploy to keep the island and city councils under the government’s control.

Former President and MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed has also called for his release.

Hashim was given five days remand on Wednesday for his alleged involvement in the Dhidhdhoo Council sending fake documents to the Local Government Authority on May 1.