Opposition parties in the Maldives will hold nationwide rallies on Saturday as former President Abdullah Yameen completes a year in prison, Edition news reported. The ex-president was jailed for money laundering charges involving a multi-million dollar scandal in the state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporations (MMPRC). 

Maldives Police also summoned and questioned many opposition leaders on Thursday regarding their proposed protest plans which the police allege are in violation of the COVID guidelines issued by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).   

Ibrahim Shujau, the vice-president of the opposition PNC party, said they would continue with their planned protests disregarding HPA guidelines as the ruling parties too were not following it.  

The opposition coalition, consisting of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People’s National Congress ( PNC), had announced their plans on November 22 to organize nationwide protests on the first anniversary of its leader and former president, Abdullah Yameen’s incarceration. 

“The entire Maldivian population should come out on the 28th,” Shujau requested the public in a press conference. The opposition parties also continue to campaign for the upcoming local body elections, he informed.