Opposition turned away from police HQ

The Maldives opposition was Tuesday turned away from police headquarters, after they sought a meeting with the commissioner to release high-profile political detainees.

Police blocked off and turned away the six opposition figures wishing to meet Commissioner Abdulla Nawaz regarding the implementation of the Supreme Court’s February 1 ruling, reported Mihaaru.

The Supreme Court order the immediate release of prisoners including the former president Mohamed Nasheed and former vice president Ahmed Adeeb. But the ruling was overturned during a state of emergency.

The order needed to be implemented by Nawaz, said Hassan Latheef from the Maldivian Democratic Party, and other officers should do it if Nawaz was unwilling to do so.

“We want to say Nawaaz shouldn’t obstruct any efforts to implement the Supreme Court order, and that he should resign if he can’t implement it,” he said. “We know he’s at the headquarters, not allowing us to meet him is very irresponsible.”

He said Nawaaz could have been framed if the opposition had formally requested a meeting with him, so they had sought to meet him without prior arrangement.

“Nawaaz could be arrested through various means after finding a pistol under his pillow or a million dollars under his mattress, and we didn’t want that to happen,” Latheef said.

Photo: Mihaaru