The Hague/New York, 31 March, 2015: Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) is deeply concerned by the arrest and detention on 26 March, 2015 of PGA Member, Mr. Ahmed Mahloof, MP of Maldives, for allegedly “obstructing police duties and disobeying police orders”. PGA expresses its undiminished solidarity with Mr. Mahloof for his prolonged detention without formal charges being presented to him before an independent judge. PGA also calls on relevant authorities to immediately release him from the current restrictive measure of “house arrest”, given the absence of any charges brought against him to justify such a measure.

Mr. Mahloof, former ruling party MP, was arrested during an opposition protest together with eight individuals, including opposition-aligned private broadcaster Raajje TV journalist Mohamed Wisam and cameraman Adam Zareer. PGA notes with concern that according to media sources, Mr. Mahloof was “targeted” by the police due to his outspoken criticism directed against the government. PGA is deeply concerned that the fundamental human right of freedom of speech and freedom of expression and the constitutional rights of a sitting Parliamentarians may have been violated in the case in question.

Mr. Mahloof attended the Eighth Consultative Assembly for Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court and the Rule of Law (CAP ICC) held in Rabat, Morocco on 4 and 5 December, 2014, hosted by the Parliament of Morocco. Previously, he has been a major facilitator of the 2011 bipartisan decision of Parliament to adopt the ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC. PGA has been working in Maldives, a target country of the PGA Campaign for the Effectiveness and Universality of the Rome Statute (Campaign for the Rome Statute of the ICC), since 2010.

PGA therefore calls upon the Maldivian authorities to ensure the respect of the due process of law and the human rights of Mr. Mahloof, including the application of the proper parliamentary procedures to his case. Moreover, PGA firmly calls upon the Government to respect the constitutional rights and prerogatives of all Parliamentarians.

PGA expresses its concern that the prerogatives of a sitting Parliamentarian may have been violated while he was exercising his right to express opinions and dissent. PGA calls on the Speaker of Maldives to protect the fundamental rights and prerogatives of a sitting MP, elected by the people, who freely decided to become an opponent to the Government.