Even with permission, protests in Malé should be at Carnival

Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that protest demonstrations in the capital, Malé City can be held at the Carnival area alone.

Home Minister Azleen Ahmed told Sun Media tonight that a decision has been made so that protest rallies in Malé can be held with a written permit from the Police only at the Carnival area and the regulated has been published on the gazette.

The Minister said that the announcement currently on the gazette is with a typo and is working to fix it.

The announcement published on the gazette tonight said that protests can be held in Malé City without the permission from the Police at the Carnival area.

While the amendment to the Law of Public Protest by the MP for South Maafannu constituency, PPM’s Abdulla Rifaau has been passed and ratified by the President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, the amendment says that any mass public gathering, rally, demonstration or float parade can be held in the capital city with the permission from the Home Ministry.

As the parliament passed to require Police permit to hold a protest rally today, Article 32 of the Constitution says that it is the right of every citizen to hold a peaceful protest with no prior permission from the state.

The Henveiru Carnival area is currently being used to do driving license tests. And the government has decided to build the King Salman Mosque from Saudi free aid in the area as well.

Also, the area is used for annual events such as the night market.