Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific and MP for the cities of London and Westminster Mark Christopher Field has welcomed the adoption of a framework for targeted sanctions against Maldives by the European Union’s foreign Affairs Council on Monday.

The EU’s council has adopted the framework for “targeted restrictive measures against persons and entities responsible for undermining the rule of law or obstructing an inclusive political situation in the Maldives as well as persons and entities responsible for human rights violations” adding that “this decision makes it possible, if the situation does not improve, to impose travel ban and asset freeze on relevant individuals and entities”.

Following this, MP Field had taken to twitter on Monday evening, saying that he welcomes the announcement of EU’s targeted sanctions on Maldives.

MP Field said that he “shares international concern about democracy and human rights in the Maldives”, going on to call for the approaching elections to be “free and fair”.

Field, as Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, had on previous occasions expressed his growing concerns about the human rights situation in the Maldives.

While the Maldives is preparing for September’s election, the European Union has expressed concern that it will neither be free nor fair.