Maldives opposition seeks EU help for free and fair election in 2018
The EU delegation’s visit comes after the European Parliament adopted a resolution earlier this month urging the Maldivian authorities to reform the judiciary, release political prisoners, and to guarantee the constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly.
30 Oct 2017, 9:00 AM
Representatives of the opposition coalition met with a visiting European Union delegation Sunday night and sought help to pave the way for an inclusive, free and fair presidential election in 2018.
The visit comes after the European Parliament adopted a resolution earlier this month urging Maldivian authorities to reform the judiciary, release political prisoners, and to guarantee the constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly.
MPs Eva Abdulla, Mariya Ahmed Didi and Rozaina Adam from the Maldivian Democratic Party, MP Abdulla Riyaz from the Jumhooree Party, Shidhaatha Shareef and Ahmed Numan from the Adhaalath Party, former ruling party MP Mohamed Ameeth, and Yumna Maumoon, daughter of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom briefed the EU delegation at the three-hour meeting last night.
Ahead of the meeting, the MDP put out a statement stressing that next year’s polls cannot be free and fair “while opposition leaders are under arrest or serving sentences on trumped-up charges, designed to disqualify them from the elections.”
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