Transparency Maldives has urged that the no-confidence vote on parliament speaker Abdulla Maseeh, which has been put on the agenda for the sitting on 27^th March be free and transparent.

“Transparency Maldives calls on the parliament to commit to upholding the integrity and sanctity of the parliament by ensuring the transparency of the upcoming no confidence vote scheduled for the 27th of March 2017” the charter said in a two-part tweet on Friday.

The no-confidence motion against Maseeh, filed with 26 signatures, will be voted on next Monday.

The six-point motion accuses Maseeh of ‘refusing to ensure’ equality in parliament, disregarding the rule of law, disrespecting the system of checks and balances, disregard for procedure, and ‘subverting’ democracy.

Maldivian Democratic Party’s deputy leader, Mohamed Shifaz, on Thursday echoed other supporters of the motion when he blamed Maseeh for allowing the government-sponsored criminalization of defamation.

Transparency Maldives had earlier this week reiterated its discontent for the authorities' use of the law to prosecute activists and the media.