Sunday roundup: dozen detained from opposition Victory Day protest

A dozen people were arrested from a protest organised by the opposition on Saturday night to mark Victory Day.

Shortly after the gathering began outside the Progressive Party of Maldives office in Malé around 8:30pm, police issued warnings through a loudspeaker and announced that the area was not designated for gatherings. Riot police officers then pushed back protesters and tried to clear the area, leading to clashes and arrests.

All 12 were released after they were briefly detained for obstruction and refusing to obey orders, police said. Turnout was estimated to be fewer than 200 people.

Speaking to the press after the protest ended around 10pm, former MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla said the protest was held because the authorities refused to permit a rally at the carnival grounds. He vowed to continue protesting against the alleged slander of Islam in a 2016 report by NGO Maldivian Democracy Network and heavily criticised President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s recent remarks about the controversy.