International Migrants Day march in Malé called off

A street march organised to mark the International Migrants Day was cancelled on Friday following alleged interference by the police.

The march was planned by the Department of Immigration, diplomatic missions and the Maldives branch of the International Organisation for Migrants, but was called off at the last minute after the police refused a permit for the protest, multiple sources told the The Maldives Independent.

However, Hassan Haleem, information officer at the immigration department, insisted that the march was cancelled due to lack of preparations. “The event was organised in a very short time. There were some logistical things we could not get ready in time,” he said.

The IOM branch in Maldives refused to comment on the issue.