Former Maldives President and current MDP Advisor, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that the incumbent government is preparing to crack down on opposition political leaders.
Speaking at a campaign event for MDP candidates vying for the Henveiru seats in the upcoming parliamentary election, President Solih alleged that the government is orchestrating a campaign to arrest opposition political leaders.
Referring to the MDP's Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail recently being summoned to the police for questioning over an alleged corruption case, President Solih criticized the move as baseless. He expressed concern that political activities are being stifled in the prevailing atmosphere and warned of further arrests of political figures.
"It won't stop there. Judges will be arrested. Police commissioners will be arrested. Independent institutions will be taken over," he said.
President Solih said the country is currently seeing a regression of progress, liking the country to a highspeed boat running backward, setting it back by 20 years.
“All the characteristics of a dictatorship are now present,” he said.
The President added that the government is threatening job security and encouraging people to participate in government campaigns through intimidation.
