Senior MDP leaders arrested in Maldives for drinking alcohol

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party of former President Mohamed Nasheed in a statement said 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 fourth person was Abdulla Jabir from the Jumhooree Party.

They were arrested on Thursday night for allegedly drinking alcohol. Drinking is punishable in the Maldives in line with local regulations set by sharia law.

"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.