Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ilyas Labeeb has been summoned by police regarding allegations of “disrupting public order” on August 31.
Labeeb told local media today that police claimed he had unlawfully passed police barricades set up in Orchid Magu during protests.
“In the chit police sent to me it did not state the reason for my summoning. So at the police station, I did not answer to any questions and exercised my right to remain silent,” he said.
He also dismissed the allegations of police stating that he had never done anything in contrast to “the constitution or any law”.
The MDP MP, representing one of six seats from Addu City, also alleged that police had summoned him after finishing the investigation of the case.
“They said that they would send the case to Prosecutor General within a week. It gives the idea that they’ve already finished the case,” he said.
Police Media Official Sub inspector Hassan Haneef confirmed Labeeb was summoned for unlawfully passing the police barricade and disrupting public order.
On the same day, former State Minister of Foreign Affairs Aslam Shakir was also arrested on the same grounds and his case has now been forwarded to the Prosecutor General (PG).
Labeeb is the latest addition to the series of MDP MPs being summoned to police following the controversial transfer of power on February 7 in which the MDP led government was ousted. Almost all now face criminal charges, which may potentially result in them losing their seats.
Arresting of opposition MPs
On June 21, police concluded a case involving MDP Spokesperson MP Imthiyaz ‘Inthi’ Fahmy and sent it to the PG requesting Inthi be charged with disobeying orders, obstructing police duty and physically assaulting a female police officer during an MDP demonstration on May 29, that followed the dismantling of the former ruling party’s protest camp at Usfasgandu.
However in a statement condemning “excessive use of force” against demonstrators, Amnesty International reported that according to MP Imthiyaz, “police in Dhoonidhoo told him he was arrested for ‘disrupting peace’. The next day, in court, police stated that he had been detained for ‘physically attacking a woman police officer.”
Former MDP Chairperson MP Mariya Ahmed Didi was summoned to police police for questioning today regarding confrontations that took place after police entered the MDP protest camp at Usfasgandu on May 29. Didi was also questioned for her alleged involvement in a “plot to attack police officers”, said police at the time.
Police also sent cases involving MDP MPs Hamid Abdul Ghafoor and Ibrahim ‘Bondey’ Rasheed to the PG, requesting the public prosecutor to press charges against MP Hamid for obstructing police duty and requested MP Rasheed be charged for obstructing police duty, assaulting police officers, threatening and creating unrest.
On August 4, Ibrahim Rasheed was arrested and the Criminal Court placed him under house arrest for five days on charges of threatening and attacking a police officer and obstructing police duty.
According to a statement issued at the time by the MDP, Rasheed was taken into custody from a popular cafe in the capital Male’ by “20 militarised police.”
“MP Ibrahim Rasheed was arrested under a warrant obtained by the police relating to an incident two days back on 30 July when it was reported that the MP was “bitten” by a policeman while in the process of being arrested for participating in a protest rally,” the statement read.
Photos surfaced on social media showing bruises on the MPs’ back and the prescription letter from private hospital ADK where he was treated.
On July 22, MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor was arrested after he broke through the police barricades near the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).
“We warned him and let him go as he first broke through the police barricades. We arrested him for obstruction of police duties after he broke through again,” police said in a statement.
In a statement following Hamid’s arrest, the MDP said Hamid and other protesters were arrested in violation of the laws stipulated under the constitution and international covenants Maldives is party to.
On August 18, PG pressed terrorism charges against over 40 individuals accused of setting the Seenu Gan police station on fire on February 8, including MDP MP Mohamed Rasheed and Addu City Councillor Ahmed Mirzadh.
Terrorism charges carry a jail term of 10 to 15 years.
Also, Police this Wednesday concluded an investigation in to a case submitted to them by the Judicial Administration and Prosecutor General, regarding Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik’s pronouncement last year that he was opening his own court.
Minivan News tried contacting MP Labeeb and MDP Spokesperson MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, but they had not responded at time of press.
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It will be interesting if the media covering matters of this sort would also discuss the law about it.
In this case, if crossing a police barricade wherever they set it up is a violation of a law which law it is. The reporters ought to realise that member of the public or their readers have little or no time to research on the law the police are alleging to have been violated.
Unfortunately, they don’t care about the violation of the more important laws, the fundamental law of Constitution, by a coup which saw the popularly elected government overthrown as was on February 7. Subsequently, the coup was covered up by the controversial report of the CNI. Both the coup and cover-up deal are serious crimes.
These MPs are the people who had been robing this country. They have huge fat salaries and bonuses which they take from the public money . But they never do anything in the parliament except breaking the furnitures every now and then.
We have seen this guy crossing over the barricade and it was even shown in some of the local TV channels at that time.
Being an MP does not mean that you are above the law and you need to respect the law too.
MDP is responsible for the mess we are in today and it is because of the failure of Anni and his arrogant attitude which had made us to fall into this deep trouble.
Anni is the man who is behind most of the violence in this country together with his blind followers.
Anni resigned due his incapability and continous breach of our constitution.
Anni lost his presidency since he took the law on his own hands and challenge the constitution and acted like to a king.
We do not need a king and we need a democratic president not a dictator.
we need to need a dictator president under the cover of democracy and majority of Maldivian do not want Anni back ever.