Government denies opposition arrests to be deliberately political
The government recognized international concern and fully denied responsibility for any such conduct
The protests that ensued at Qasim Ibrahim's remand hearing on Friday, April 7th 2017
In response to a statement from the European Union and four other nations, the government has maintained that it is not trying to hinder opposition activity or threaten politicians.
A statement from the Foreign Ministry said that the government recognizes the concern and fully denied responsibility for any such conduct, adding that it ‘concurs’ that the opposition is essential for democracy in the Maldives.
“Finding amicable solutions to the issues facing the country today should not be a responsibility that falls exclusively on the government. All political actors, including the political parties, have an equally important role to play in this regard” the statement continued.
The statement also calls on Maldives’ international partners to refrain from making comments that may unjustly smear the reputation of the nation, or can be considered biased towards a political party of leaning.
In a statement published on the union’s website on Saturday, the EU along with Norway, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States of America guaranteed that they would be monitoring the political sphere in the country.
The United Nations had also said that all political stakeholders in the Maldives need to find a solution through dialogue.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in the country and urge the national authorities to uphold necessary conditions for democracy, the rule of law and human rights, in line with the country’s Constitution” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general said.
The German and British embassies in Sri Lanka have also released statements expressing concern over Qasim Ibrahim’s arrest on Thursday, with Ambassador James Dauris calling it a ‘sad day’ for democracy in the Maldives.
