Former President and leader of the divided ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom filed a case at the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) over being denied to hold a meeting with PPM members last Wednesday.
Without any documentation, the matter was informed by two police officers who visited Maumoon Foundations’ office. The meeting was scheduled to be held at the current PPM leader’s office Themaa house in Henveiru ward to gather the opinions and thoughts of members. As PPM leader Maumoon was not in office at the time, Police had informed the decision to his son and lawmaker, Faris Maumoon. However, no reason was provided to withhold permission to hold the meeting. Maumoon has already filed a complaint at Maldives Police Service regarding the issue.
A letter addressed to HRCM by Maumoon’s Office stated that the Constitution provides freedom to hold peaceful gatherings without any permission of the state. Hence no institution may deprive another entity of that freedom.
Maumoon has also urged to take action against Police as the institution went against the Constitution to deny permission for the PPM leader to meet its members.
Some lawyers also agree that Police went violated the Constitution's Subject 143 as no documentation was presented with a valid reason to deny permission. The subject states that if anyone’s right is infringed due to an administrative action, it is the right of the person or persons to receive proper justification in writing.
Due to the internal issues between leader Maumoon and his half-brother, the incumbent President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom which has split the ruling party in half, the judicial courts have given control of the party to President Yameen. Henceforth, all activities of PPM are being conducted by President Yameen's faction of PPM.
Previously, the function organized by Maumoon to celebrate PPM's fifth anniversary had also been obstructed.
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