Calls for the unconditional release of all individuals arrested during the “Lootuvaifi” protest resounded in the chambers of the People’s Majlis on Monday, as opposition lawmakers from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) condemned what they described as a blatant crackdown on peaceful dissent.

Raising their voices on the floor of parliament, MDP lawmakers denounced the arrests made during the October 3 protest, a mass demonstration against the government of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. The opposition accused the state of criminalizing protest and targeting political opponents under the pretext of public order.

During a legislative sitting originally convened to debate amendments to the Land Transport Act, the chamber became a battleground for a deeper conflict, freedom versus control. Lawmakers Meekail Ahmed Naseem, Ahmed Shamheed, and Mauroof Zakir used the floor to not only thank the thousands who took to the streets in defiance of rising authoritarianism, but also to demand accountability for the arrests that followed.

Though eight individuals were detained in connection with the protest, only two have since been released. Still in custody are former parliamentarians Yasir Abdul Latheef and Yauqoob Abdulla, Maafushi Council President Hassan Solah, along with Ali Jumaan, Azmee Ali, and Hassan Shakir, all now held under 15-day detention orders. Their continued imprisonment has become a rallying cry for the opposition and a flashpoint for the public.

Even as protests echoed through the streets of Malé City on Saturday night, with crowds converging at key intersections like Majeedhee Magu and Chandhanee Magu, the current administration has remained silent on the fate of the detainees. Instead, the state appears more focused on suppressing unrest than addressing the grievances that fuel it.

What unfolded in parliament was more than a political demand, it was a declaration of resistance. The opposition made it clear, the right to protest is not a privilege to be granted by the state, but a democratic cornerstone that no government has the authority to dismantle.

As the public watches, the fate of those still imprisoned has become a litmus test for the regime’s commitment to democratic values. The government's next move will not only decide the fate of six detainees, it may well determine the trajectory of the nation’s democratic future.