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Carried away: Lawmakers removed from parliament compound

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Opposition lawmakers were manhandled and removed from the parliament compound in Malé on Wednesday by the army, which had spent hours blocking their access to the main building.

Pictures and video footage showed MPs being hauled away from the building then hoisted over the gate by uniformed officers. The five who tried and failed to gain access to parliament were Ahmed Mahloof, Mohamed Ameeth, Abdulla Ahmed, Mohamed Musthafa and Ali Nizar.

Parliament’s first sitting of 2018 was due to be held on February 5 but was cancelled for security reasons.

“We are going to submit an appeal to start parliament sessions and meet the deputy secretary general,” said Mahloof. “Every day the military forces us out. Today they had padlocked and chained the gate. When we went in they carried us and threw us out over the gate. I went in three times and was thrown out three times.”

The Maldives is currently under a state of emergency because President Abdulla Yameen alleged he had to declare one to investigate a plot to overthrow his government.

Photos: RaajjeTV

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