“There is no one I support other than President Nasheed as a presidential candidate,” declared Maradhoo MP Rozaina Adam during the MDP National Council meeting held at Salt Café. Her opinion was shared by an overwhelming majority of those who participated in the meeting. Speaking in support of the decree proposed by MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Rozaina said that there were numerous reasons why Nasheed had the love of people, and that he promoted justice and was prepared to pay any price to protect the people’s rights. “Therefore I say that there is no leader such as him even within this party,” said Rozaina. Some members said that he had gone to jail to win the votes that he had lost during the last presidential election, and that he would win the next election with the votes he got while in jail. Former Kendhoo MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and West-Mafannu MP Imthiyaz Fahmy said that Nasheed had been dealt a “political verdict” and that Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) members themselves believed the verdict to be unjust. Thasmeen said that the trial had been conducted under President Abdulla Yameen’s full influence despite his claims to the contrary. Hisaan Hussein – who had worked as a defence lawyer for Nasheed, said that there was nothing that had taken place according to due legal process. She said that though Nasheed may be kept in a place covered in sand with a fan over his head – a prison cell was still a prison cell – and urged that all members work freely for his freedom. Referring to her state of pregnancy, she said that if a 8-month pregnant woman could find the courage, then others should be able to find the courage to work for his freedom. “8 month pregnant, I still have the courage. Therefore the same courage should exist within all MDP members,” said Hisaan. All members during the meeting vowed to go for civil disobedience to free Nasheed from prison, and called to impose a boycott on government aligned businesses – including Champa, Sun Travel businesses, as well as Redwave shops. Some members proposed to stop sending their children to school and stop attending work as part of civil disobedience. “All the members need to wholeheartedly participate in this. We can only save Nasheed by working together,” said North-Galolhu MP Eva Abdulla.