The Criminal Court has rejected a police request to extend the remand period of six individuals arrested during the October 3 "Lootuvaifi, Lootuvaifi!" protest, ordering their release instead.

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) had sought an additional 15-day detention period for the protesters, who were among eight individuals arrested on October 3 during a mass demonstration in Malé City organized by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). On October 4, six of those arrested were placed under 15-day detention, which expired on Saturday.

Those previously held under extended detention include former parliamentarians Yasir Abdul Latheef and Yaugoob Abdulla, Maafushi Council President Hassan Solah, as well as Ali Jumaan, Azeem Ali, and Hassan Shakir.

Despite police efforts to prolong the detentions, the court ordered all six individuals to be released on Sunday. Five of them were conditionally released with obligations to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

The police’s insistence on extending the detentions, even after concluding their interrogations and taking statements, raises concerns over the necessity and proportionality of the request. The court’s decision suggests a rejection of attempts to use extended detention as a punitive measure rather than a legitimate investigative need.