Five arrested from opposition rally, released

All five opposition protesters arrested on Saturday night, have been released.

Police’s media official confirmed this to RaajjeMV, noting that five individuals were arrested from the opposition coalition rally on Saturday.

All five were released shortly after.

Those arrested include former ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s deputy president and Naifaru constituency MP, Ahmed Shiyam, along with former Hoarafushi constituency MP Mohamed Ismail and coalition council members Mohamed Latheef, Ibrahim Faisal and Abdulla Mohamed.

In a statement announcing the arrests, the opposition coalition said that its joint council has passed a resolution to continue to protest until their leader, former President Abdulla Yameen, is freed from prison.

Other coalition member, People’s National Congress (PNC)’s President Abdul Raheem Abdulla previously announced plans to continue a series of protests calling for his release.

While the former ruling party is part of the opposition currently calling to take to the streets, the PPM administration had brought restrictions to the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act while its leader had mocked then opposition for holding protests.

The opposition leader was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday, after being found guilty of laundering USD one million through the state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), during his presidency. He was also fined by USD five million, to be paid within six months.

While Yameen was detained at the Malé Prison until Saturday evening, opposition supporters had gathered near there late Friday night.