MP Faris Maumoon’s passport held

Authorities have put a hold on the passport of Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon, barring him from traveling outside the country.

Faris issued a statement this Sunday in which he said that he had checked-in at the airport to travel to Bangalore, India and gone to the Immigration counter when he was informed that his passport was being held, and that he was not allowed to travel out of the country.

Faris said that the Immigration officers informed him that the authority had been sent a court order by Criminal Court barring him from travelling out of the country.

Faris said in his statement that he had been summoned to the police headquarters multiple times for questioning regarding multiple allegations starting March 8.

He said he had only previously been served a court order on a travel ban on him from March 29 to April 28.

He said the duration on the travel ban had expired, and that he was not informed of any additional court order on a travel ban on him if one had been issued after that.

Faris said that he was no longer under investigation for any allegation by any State authority, and asked that the issue be investigated.

Faris is the son of former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.