Three arrested after MDP office raid

Three national council members of the Maldivian Democratic Party have been taken into custody after police raided the main opposition party’s office in Malé.

Special Ops officers stormed the MDP office Thursday afternoon while a daily advisory committee meeting was taking place and arrested former MP Ilyas Labeeb, Ahmed Shahid and Ahmed Hassan.

According to party officials, police refused to disclose charges saying the arrests were made under the ongoing state of emergency.

President Abdulla Yameen invoked emergency powers last month, suspending constitutional rights and granting sweeping powers to police. He cited the need for investigating a plot to remove him from office after the Supreme Court ordered the release of nine prisoners.

MDP vice president Mohamed Shifaz and several council members are also in custody following their arrests from opposition protests since the February 1 apex court order.

Police enters MDP office and arrests MP @evattey ‘s husband @saabeas , MDP council member @HassantayMDP and former MP @ilyas_labeeb under #StateofEmergency @JamesDauris @USAmbKeshap pic.twitter.com/GP6d2Z4UA5

— 𝐌𝐏 𝐑𝐨𝐳𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦 🎈 (@Roxeyna) March 8, 2018

BRK NEWS:

Rogue police just stormed @MDPSecretariat.The party’s National Council members arrested while in a meeting.#MaldivesInCrisis pic.twitter.com/0pgygmUx8u

— 𝐈𝐦𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐳 𝐅𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐲 (@Imthiyazfahmy) March 8, 2018