Following the 2013 Presidential Election, MDP chose to accept the results of the election and conceded defeat, in the interest of the nation, and and set out to work as the opposition party. However, the government set course in a different direction and chose to imprison opposition political leaders and obstruct opposition political parties. This has to stop now. The government needs to work with the opposition to set things right.

The leader of the biggest opposition political party has been wrongfully imprisoned following a sham trial, which sentenced him to 13 years in prison. MDP, the UN, the Commmonwealth, Amnesty international and various international governments have called for the immediate release of Nasheed, citing a deeply flawed judicial process. Despite this the Government continues to detain Nasheed. Similary, Colonel Mohamed Nazim has been imprisoned, following a sham trial which sentenced him to 11 years in prison. Leader of Adhaalath party, Sheikh Imran Abdulla, continues to be detained without a trial. Additionally, a large number of political avtivists continue be persecuted by the Government. These actions by the Government does not work in the best interest of the nation.

Rampant corruption and the continued mismanagement of the state budget has resulted in a MVR 100,000 per head debt. Citizens now have to spend more than they earn. Opposition political activists continue to be persecuted. Judicial integrity and independence is undermined. Public confidence in state institutions continue to decline. The head of the state can no longer trust the armed forces. The Maldives continues to score low on various indexes, including the press freedom index, in which Maldives ranked 52 in 2012 and now ranks 112. Maldives now is blacklisted for terrorism, money laundering, human trafficking and drug trafficking. All this negatively impacts the economy of the country.

Similarly, the poor foreign policy adopted by the Government has tarnished Maldives’ image in the international community and undermined the security of the Indian Ocean.

To correct all of the above, the National Council of MDP, MDP Parliamentary Group, members of MDP and Adhaalath party, supporters and well-wishers participating in the 27 November protest in Malé and elsewhere in the country demand the following from President Yaameen Abdul Gayyoom:

to immediately release President Nasheed,
to release Colonel Mohamed Nazim and Sheikh Imran Abdulla, to stop the politically motivated persecution of opposition activists and supporters, to launch a credible investigation into the murder of Ungoofaaru MP, Dr. Afraasheem Ali and the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan, and
to engage in well-intentioned, meaningful dialogue to reform the judiciary and determine the political future of the country.