The opposition coalition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, has said that all the political leaders will be freed on November 17 after they win the presidential election.

He said this while opening a Maldivian Democratic party (MDP) campaign site in Addu City’s Maradhoo on Sunday.

During the ceremony, Solih said that he does not believe that the government will hold a free and fair election on September 23, highlighting that President Abdulla Yameen has stopped the leaders of the four parties of the coalition from contesting.

He vowed to win the election and release the political leaders and other political prisoners on the first  day the new government is sworn in.

Noting that there is no longer freedom of expression or assembly, Solih said that even government employees no longer have the freedom to join political activities but urged them to not be afraid and come out anyway. He promised to give compensation to any government employee that gets fired for joining their political activities.

Concluding his speech, Solih said that their work is not just political, since they are working with parties with different political philosophies.