Travel ban lifted for MPs after three months

A travel ban imposed on three opposition lawmakers was lifted Monday after the Prosecutor General’s office declined to press charges.

MPs Imthiyaz Fahmy, Mohamed Ameeth and Faisal Naseem, along with Adhaalath party media chief Ali Nazeer, were investigated for urging the public to join a nationwide demonstration while the right to protest was suspended during a 45-day state of emergency.

They were interrogated on multiple occasions following the joint opposition press conference. In late May, the PG office declined to prosecute when police forwarded their cases.

The MPs were barred from travelling overseas during the past three months.

Ameeth missed his grandfather’s funeral in Sri Lanka and Faisal Naseem was prevented from accompanying his son in an overseas trip to seek urgent medical treatment.

The criminal court informed them Monday that their passports have been released.

Scores were arrested during daily demonstrations that took place after President Abdulla Yameen declared the state of emergency in response to a shock Supreme Court ruling for the release of nine political prisoners, citing a “judicial coup” to remove him from office.

Ameeth, a former ruling party member, is among a dozen opposition lawmakers put on trial for entering parliament in July last year. They were accused of scaling barricades to enter the building before they were manhandled and dragged out by soldiers and police officers.

For no valid reason, @PoliceMV & the CC refused to release my Passport today, preventing me from attending my grand-father's funeral.

I wish I'm there to say my last goodbye & pay my last respect to him ☹.

May Allah forgive his sin & grant him jannah. امین pic.twitter.com/udJVYiu12E

— Mohamed Ameeth (@MohamedAmeeth) June 2, 2018

Hifahattaafa onnathaa 3 mas veefahun, miadhu Passport dhookoffi.@PoliceMv pic.twitter.com/diYLuSz2q1

— Mohamed Ameeth (@MohamedAmeeth) June 18, 2018