Malé, Maldives – Maldives Police Service has arrested an opposition coalition activist who threatened to chop up police officers on live TV.
The 51 year old man named Abdhu’Samad was arrested under a court order after he threatened to chop up individual police officers while speaking on an interview to Channel 13 on February 15, 2021. According to the court order, he was arrested to prevent destroying or interfering with evidence and for the safety of the general public.
After being released from police custody on February 15 after being arrested during the oppositions protests, Abdhu’Samad spoke to local TV channel, Channel 13 claiming that he was arrested under false statements and that he knew those officers who did it. He also claimed that police had arrested him under fraudulent and malicious accusations.
Opposition coalition consisting of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) took to the streets claiming that they want to get justice to people who have lost or did not receive their apartments after ‘Hiyaa’ Public Housing Scheme was released on the 10th of February.
The protest which was carried out by opposition coalition against the HPA guidelines ended up with police using teargas to stop the protesters. During the polices attempt to stop the protest, both police officers and protesters suffered various injuries in which two police officers were injured.
The PPM and PNC coalition have also been protesting following a recent decision of the High Court, to uphold an earlier sentence by the Criminal Court’s which has led to Former President Yameen continue his 5 year money laundering sentence in Maafushi Prison.
While a small number of number of people are taking part in these protests, the participants are constantly calling out to free Former President Yameen and to stop ‘torturing’ him. Among other unsound demands, some protesters have called for the arrest if President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
