Maldives: Seven councillors suspended over May Day protest
Event- Country
- Maldives
- Initial Date
- May 14, 2015
- Event Description
The Local Government Authority (LGA) has suspended seven councilors who took part in an anti-government demonstration on May 1. All seven had been arrested in a police crackdown after protesters attempted to enter Mal_'s restricted Republic Square. They were suspended for two months, local media reports. Councilors are elected for island and atoll councils for three years. There are over 1000 councilors in the Maldives. According to the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), some 300 of its 450 island and atoll council members had taken part in the protest. Some 7000 people had traveled to Mal_ from Maldives' remote islands for May Day, the opposition has claimed. Nearly 20,000 protesters took part in the May Day march and demanded the release of imprisoned ex-president Mohamed Nasheed and ex-defence minister Mohamed Nazim. Home minister and president of the LGA, Umar Naseer, has also asked the anti-corruption watchdog to penalize any councilors who had traveled to the capital on state funds. According to the opposition coalition, 12 employees of the state were dismissed for participating in the protest.
- Impact of Event
- 7
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Right to political participation
- Right to Protest
- HRD
- Public Servant
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 1.9772470000000089
Longitude: 73.5361034
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 14 May 2015, seven councilors belonging to the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), were suspended by the Local Government Authority (LGA) following their participation in the May Day protests. Nearly 20,000 protesters took part in the May Day march and demanded the release of imprisoned ex-president Mohamed Nasheed and ex-defence minister Mohamed Nazim. All seven councilors were arrested in a police crackdown after protesters attempted to enter Mal _'s restricted Republic Square. They have been suspended for two months.