Criminal charges sought against MDP’s MP Mauroof, Zaya over ‘Lootuvaifi’ rally

The police have asked the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) for criminal charges against at least three members of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), including Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir, who participation in a mass anti-government rally held in Male’ on October 3.

MDP’s ‘Lootuvaifi’ anti-corruption rally kicked off with hundreds of protestors at 09:00 pm October 3 from the Artificial Beach in the Henveiru district of Male’. But as the protestors attempted to march along the Majeedhee Magu, the police accused them of diverting from the pre-approved route and blocked their path. Clashes ensued as protestors attempted to force their way through, with the police using pepper spray and sound cannons to control the crowd. Eight protestors were taken into custody from the demonstration, while at least three others were arrested in the ensuing days.

On Thursday, the police notified three of them – Mauroof, Fathimath Zahiyya (Zaya), and Abdul Salam – of the decision to forward the cases against them for prosecution.

Of the three, Mauroof is an incumbent MP, while Zaya is the party’s president for North Hulhumale’ constituency and candidate for the constituency in the upcoming local council elections, and Abdul Salam is a general member of the party.

All three were investigated for allegedly gathering illegally in various parts of the city, obstructing public transport, and disrupting businesses, obstructing the police from dismantling an illegal gathering.

The PGO has yet to comment on the case.

The police notifications sent to the three MDP members were shared by the party’s former chairperson Fayyaz Ismail in a post on X on Friday night.

Fayyaz described it as an attempt by the government to “intimidate, threaten and harass opponents” ahead of the local council elections slated for April 4.

This is going to be the reality of the Maldives for the remaining days of this insecure government. With every election the only strategy they have is to intimidate, threaten and harass opponents. pic.twitter.com/d9ORcr47Ic

— Fayyaz Ismail (@faya_i) February 27, 2026

Six of the eight protestors detained from the October 3 rally, including Mauroof, were detained at the Dhoonidhoo Custodial Jail, before being granted conditional release on October 19.

During their time at the Dhoonidhoo Custodial Jail, the six detainees had launched a hunger strike over alleged denial of proper medical attention and delays in the investigation, before ending it on October 8.

Mauroof repeated the ascertain by MDP that the police had used excessive force in the crackdown on the rally, resulting in injuries to some of the detainees.

This includes Maafushi Council president Hassan Solah, who broke a finger.

Following the police crackdown on the rally, the MDP accused the police of using excessive force on peaceful protestors, accusing them of pepper-spraying protestors at close range and using Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) despite the serious risks of permanent hearing damage, dizziness, nausea, and other severe health impacts.

The party has said they were exploring possible legal action under the International Convention Against Torture.

However, these allegations were denied by the police, who said protest had been an unlawful gathering, and that officers had acted “with patience and professionalism to disperse the gathering using lawful means.”

The police also added that three officers were injured during the rally, including one female officer who protesters walked over after she fell down with her shield.

They also warned legal action for intimidation over the circulation of photos and videos of individual officers who were part of the crackdown on the rally.

A couple of days after the rally, two of the protestors had their phones confiscated by the police over social media posts. On October 7, the police seized the phone of Zaya, a member of the MDP’s national council and the party’s president of North Hulhumale’ constituency. Zaya was investigated over a Facebook post in which she allegedly threatened the police. And on October 8, Aminath Shiman Ahmed, a young activist from MDP, had her phone confiscated by police over a comment she made on social media platform X on September 20 in which she allegedly suggested that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu should be killed.

The MDP alleges the activists were deliberately targeted by the police to intimidate them.

The party also accused the police of using anonymous accounts on the social media platform X to leak private photos and videos they extracted from their phones, and lodged complaints with the National Integrity Commission (NIC), the Parliament and the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM), demanding an immediate investigation into the allegations.

The police denied allegations that they leaked Zaya and Shiman’s private photos and videos, insisting that devices seized as evidence are kept under tight watch.