Senior MDP leaders arrested in Maldives

The Maldivian Democratic Party, in a statement, alleged that the arrests were "politically motivated".

Among the arrested were Nasheed's Special Envoy Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair, MP and party spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.

"The Maldivian Democratic Party strongly condemns politically motivated arrests of senior politicians on November 16 and calls for their immediate release," said the statement.

The MDP had declared its support for a motion submitted in parliament to make all no confidence motions a secret vote and the voting for the motion is to be tabled on November 20.

The MDP recently submitted a no confidence motion against President Mohamed Waheed, which is yet to be tabled.