The home ministry designated Rasfannu, Usfasgandu and the industrial zone in Malé’s southwest corner as three new locations for staging demonstrations without prior written permission. A controversial 2016 amendment to the Freedom of Assembly Act – which the former MDP parliamentary supermajority kept in place – restricted gatherings in the capital to areas chosen by the home ministry, which previously designated the Henveiru carnival as the only protest space.
The Maldives moved up two spots to be ranked 104th on the annual Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders. But with a score of 52.46, the country remains classified under “Difficult” press freedom conditions.
Aishath Shiman Ahmed and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, two lead organisers of ongoing youth-led protests in Malé who were arrested during a police crackdown on Thursday night, were released after 48 hours. On Friday, the criminal court ordered the pair be remanded for three days. Mahzoom sustained a twisted shoulder and Shiman experienced swelling on her arm during the arrest, defence lawyers told the media. They rejoined the protest on Saturday night shortly after their release.
Demonstrations that “violate the law or infringe on the rights of others will not be permitted,” the police declared, citing public complaints against youth-led protests in Malé’s main thoroughfare over “disruptions caused by loudspeakers, interference with students' studies, and obstruction of traffic, emergency services, and local businesses” as well as ”anti-social behaviour, including the use of profane language and inappropriate gestures directed toward police.” The protests moved off the streets and resumed over the weekend at the Malé’s carnival area.
Parliament issued notice for Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen to respond to a no-confidence motion filed by the opposition MDP, which accused him of interfering in a police investigation involving his nephews, who allegedly attended a drug-fuelled party prior to a young woman’s unexplained fall from a nine-storey building.
IGMH confirmed that five infants in its neonatal intensive care unit tested positive for a multi-drug resistant organism known as Burkholderia cepacia. The first case was identified on April 27, prompting the implementation of isolation, containment, and testing protocols. Arrangements were being made to send affected infants abroad for further treatment, the hospital said.
Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed rejoined the Adhaalath Party and announced his candidacy for the party’s internal leadership elections. The Adhaalath Party is not part of the ruling coalition and currently holds no seats in parliament. Responding to criticism over his move, Shaheem said he did not believe that he needed to resign from the cabinet before switching parties.