Arrested opposition aligned lawmakers released mere hours after arrest

Members of Parliament for Maduvvari constituency Mohamed Ameeth and South-Thinadhoo constituency Abdulla Ahmed, who were arrested at the time of President Abdulla Yameen’s visit to Gadhdhoo island in Gaaf Dhaal atoll, have been released from police custody.

Maldives Police Service (MPS) had brought the lawmakers into police custody on Tuesday afternoon. RaajjeMV understands that President Yameen was in the atoll at the time to conduct campaign activities.

Police had made the arrest while MP Ameeth was active in a door-to-door campaign in the island. They had however, failed to declare a reason behind the lawmakers’ arrest.

They were released upon President Yameen’s departure from the island.

Ameeth’s arrest was revealed through a tweet posted by Vice Chairperson of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s economic committee, Ibrahim Ameer, who wrote that Ameeth had been arrested while active in the door-to-door campaign in Gadhdhoo island. The Vice Chair went on to state that arrests follow President Yameen’s first step on any island.