South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem states MDP was wrong not to repeal the Freedom of Assembly Act when the party “had power” during the past years.
Meekail from MDP, which is the minority in the Parliament at present, submitted a bill proposing to repeal the Freedom of Assembly Act on November 3rd. MDP, which had the supermajority in the 19th parliamentary assembly, did not repeal the legislature during that five-year term: a parliamentary assembly in which Meekail was a part.
While debating on his bill at Wednesday’s parliamentary sitting, Meekail emphasized that the Freedom of Assembly Act conflicts with the constitution for restricting the fundamental right to peaceful assembly.
He noted that one of MDP’s pledges when the party came to power in 2018 was to repeal the legislature: a pledge which the party had failed to fulfill by the end of its term in 2023.
“Honorably Speaker, we acknowledge that one of our greatest mistakes was allowing the bill submitted by then-Kaashidhoo MP Abdulla Jabir to sit in Parliament without any progress for so many days,” he said.
Meekail added that political parties and political figures rarely admit to their mistakes.
However, he said MDP “proudly” acknowledges their failure to repeal the Freedom of Assembly Act as a huge a wrong.
Speaking further, Meekail expressed concern over participants of the recent protest by taxi drivers and the protest by youths following the fall of young woman from a Male’ building being charged under this legislation.
“This legislature is indirectly a step taken by the government against the political parties in the Maldives. Today is another opportunity. It is also something included in the current administration’s legislative agenda,” he said.
Attorney General Ahmed Usham announced the government’s decision to amend the Freedom of Assembly Act on October 15th, without providing any further details regarding the matter.
Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right enshrined in the Maldivian Constitution.
But in 2016, the Parliament amended the Freedom of Assembly Act, banning political rallies in the Maldivian capital without prior written permission from the police. It was also stipulated that political rallies and gatherings may only be held in locations determined by the Home Ministry, which has designated only three locations for assemblies in Male’.
 
This 2016 amendment was made amid intense political turmoil during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.