Politics
Police impose restrictions on MDP’s nightly street protests
Invoking authority under the Freedom of Assembly Act, which authorises police to order protest organisers to limit gatherings to a specific area, the police said in a letter to the MDP that its protests have posed “numerous difficulties” for pedestrians, businesses and restaurants as well as for tourists staying at guesthouses and hotels in the area.
21 Oct 2015, 09:00
Committee approves controversial anti-terrorism bill
The parliament’s national security committee has approved a new anti-terrorism bill that opposition MPs fear could be misused to target anti-government activities and jail politicians. The government-sponsored legislation could be put to a vote next week and is likely to pass as the ruling coalition controls a simple majority in the People’s Majlis.
21 Oct 2015, 09:00
Police chief, majority leader abruptly depart Maldives
The police chief and the majority leader of the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) abruptly left the Maldives last night, in a sign of escalating struggle for influence at the country’s top leadership.
21 Oct 2015, 09:00
Vice President no longer co-chair of economic council
Vice President Ahmed Adeeb has been stripped of the title as co-chair of the powerful economic and youth council, days after the tourism portfolio was taken off his hands.
21 Oct 2015, 09:00
Nasheed urges Modi visit to ‘disentangle Maldives mess’
Jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed has urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the Maldives to “disentangle us from the mess we are in,” according to his lawyers.
20 Oct 2015, 09:00
Majority of Maldivians ‘troubled by status quo,’ but support democracy
A solid majority of Maldivians prefer democracy as a form of government, but remain cynical about the status quo and distrustful of state institutions and political parties, according to a nationwide survey conducted by Transparency Maldives
20 Oct 2015, 09:00
Maldives government launches media offensive on boat blast
Cabinet ministers and ruling party MPs have launched a media offensive, appearing on some six TV channels every week night. Slick messages extolling President Yameen’s virtues have begun appearing on social media with the hashtag #IStandWithYameen.
19 Oct 2015, 09:00
Vice President stripped of tourism portfolio
President Abdulla Yameen has temporarily assigned Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim as acting tourism minister, stripping Vice President Ahmed Adeeb of authority over his previous portfolio.
19 Oct 2015, 09:00
New US ambassador presents credentials to president
Atul Keshap, the new ambassador of the United States of America to the Maldives, presented his credentials to President Abdulla Yameen this morning. The pair discussed “issues of mutual interest encompassing global terrorism, human rights and environmental problems.”
19 Oct 2015, 09:00
MDP moves protest from pavement to the streets
Angered by the police’s attempts to limit protests to pavements, the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) led a march in Malé late at night, walking along streets randomly and sometimes, against the traffic last flow.
19 Oct 2015, 09:00
Government grants itself ‘extraordinary discretionary powers’ over NGOs
Under new regulations, a registrar at the home ministry has the discretion to suspend NGOs if it conducts activities that could be considered “a threat to national security” or “defamatory towards an individual.”
19 Oct 2015, 09:00
Security forces shut down Maldives tourism corporation
Employees of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation turned up to work at 8am today only to find three military and police officers blocking the office entrance. The shut-down comes days after police raided the offices and the home of its managing director Abdulla Ziyath over a blast on the president’s speedboat.
18 Oct 2015, 09:00
After raid, top tourism official questioned
Abdulla Ziyath, who heads the MMPRC, was interrogated for more than three hours by the economic crime department. The summons came after his apartment was raided on Wednesday night. His passport has also been withheld.
18 Oct 2015, 09:00
Nasheed’s family wins right to weekly visits
“Visitation rights have now been set to as it was before. This is a big development. The MCS did not reveal why they had stopped giving us the chance to visit. We believe it was personal,” Nasheed’s brother told the press today.
18 Oct 2015, 09:00
President’s aide resigns
Aishath Liza, the president’s office media coordinator, was told to stay home from work on Friday. She says she resigned today to pursue higher education.
17 Oct 2015, 09:00
Top military officers detained in boat blast probe
The former head of the military unit tasked with providing security to senior state officials and a former bodyguard to Vice President Ahmed Adeeb are under administrative detention, a reliable source has confirmed.
17 Oct 2015, 09:00
Despite uncertainty, Vice President vows to return to the Maldives
Despite President Abdulla Yameen’s apparent suspicion of his deputy’s involvement in an explosion on his speedboat, Vice President Ahmed Adeeb has vowed to return to the Maldives this week after concluding an official visit to China.
17 Oct 2015, 09:00
Raids and rumours fuelling uncertainty in Malé
Police officers searched the office of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation office. Earlier in the night, the police raided the home of an influential businessman related to Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.
16 Oct 2015, 09:00
Parliament questions police, army over boat blast
“[C]onsidering what was said in that meeting, I will not point a suspicious finger at anyone. I do not want it to adversely impact the investigation. I want a proper investigation to take place,” said an MP present at the closed door meeting.
15 Oct 2015, 09:00
Two associates of Vice President target of late night raids
Dozens of police officers raided a top tourism official’s apartment in Malé on Wednesday night and attempted to enter the home of an influential businessman related to Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.
15 Oct 2015, 09:00
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