&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Male protest: Maldives police arrest eight demonstrators during protest by opposition")
The Maldives police arrested eight people on Friday in an overnight protest that accused the government of corruption and curtailment of basic freedoms. The arrest was made for violating conditions agreed upon before the march. During the protest, the demonstrators used unauthorised roads and threw rocks and water bottles, forcing the government to take the step, said the police
The arrests were condemned by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) - opposition party - that also accused the police of using pepper spray and riot shields to stop the march. They have now asked President Mohamed Muizzu to free all the protesters unconditionally.
The protest was organised by MDP to force the government to reverse constitutional changes limiting fundamental rights and expanding the president's powers. It has also demanded universal public heath care in the country.
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Restrictions on the use of decentralised power by island councils, withdrawal of a new law enabling fines and suspension or cancellation of media licenses and mismanagement of state enterprises were the major concerns of the protesters.
Former Maldives President Ibrahim Solih and former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid also joined the demonstrators in their protests, alleging widespread corruption and deteriorating living conditions.
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Abdulla Shahid, who is also the President of MDP, condemned the use of Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) by Muizzu's government against peaceful demonstrators in Male.
"violent dispersal and indiscriminate arrests of peaceful demonstrators" in Male wrote Shahid on the microblogging site X.
While Ali Ihusaan, the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, countered the allegations saying, "Forcibly taking equipment from an on-duty police officer is not considered a peaceful political activity, as it involves coercive or violent actions that disrupt law enforcement duties."
