Malé, Maldives – Members of the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) has accused the opposition coalition of attempting to attack Former President and current Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed during their protest on Friday.
The opposition protested on Male’ roads once again yesterday, calling out to free Former President Abdullah Yaameen Abdul Gayyoom who is currently serving a five year sentence after he was convicted of money laundering. The opposition protesters during yesterday’s protests, encountered Speaker Nasheed and allegedly attempted to attack him. They confronted the Speaker near G.Kenereege, according one of the protesters who gave information to local news outlet Vaguthu.
Tweeting regarding the matter, MP of Bilehdhoo Constituency Ahmed Haleem said that the opposition protesters approached Speaker Nasheed during yesterday’s protest. He added that they attempted to attack him and expressed his concern over the matter. MP Haleem said that attacking the Speaker was not a protest and that it was an act of misbehavior while noting that trying to attack the Speaker will not give relief Former President Yameen in any way. The tweet from MP Haleem retweeted by Speaker Nasheed as well as several other MDP members.
They don’t have to approach [former] President Nasheed’s residence and attack him. PPM should also protest, however trying to attack the Former President [Nasheed] is not protesting, and neither will it give any relief to Former President Yameen.
Ahmed Haleem, MP of Bilehdhoo Constituency
The opposition recently passed a decree to take direct action and start protesting following the decision from the High Court to uphold the decision of the Criminal Court to let Former President continue his sentence in jail. Since then, the opposition has been continuously protesting in Malé calling out to free Former President Yameen and stop torturing him. Many people have also raised their concern over these protest as HPA guidelines are not followed in some of these protests.
