The Prosecutor General’s Office (PG) has decided not to pursue charges against seven individuals arrested during the October 3 protest organized by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
The seven men were detained at Dhoonidhoo jail following the rally. Those arrested include:
Former Dhaandhoo MP Yaugoob Abdulla  
Former North Kulhudhuffushi MP Yasir Abdul Latheef  
Maafushi Council President Hassan Solah  
Ali Juman, former senior administrative assistant at the President’s Office  
Azeem Ali  
Hassan Shakir  
Police had forwarded charges of intentionally obstructing law enforcement and disrupting the administration of law. However, the PG stated that the alleged acts appeared to be an exercise of fundamental rights and did not result in injury or property damage. As such, the office said it had no interest in prosecuting the individuals.
Police detain former Dhaandhoo MP Yaugoob Abdulla during the crackdown on MDP's 'Lootuvaifi' rally in Male' City on October 3, 2025. (Sun Photo/Ahmed Firyal)
The PG also noted that investigations are ongoing into 10 other individuals linked to the protest, and decisions on prosecution will follow once those cases are complete.
An emergency motion was submitted in Parliament alleging neglect of the arrested members, but Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla dismissed it, stating it did not meet the criteria for an emergency motion.
Police have acknowledged using sonar devices and force to disperse the rally but claimed the operation was conducted with “patience and professionalism” in accordance with legal protocols.
Following the October 3 protest, two female MDP activists, Fathimath Zahiyya (Zaya) and Aishath Shiman Ahmed, had their phones seized by police, who later allegedly leaked private images and videos from the devices via anonymous accounts on X (formerly Twitter).
Opposition leaders sit on the ground in Majeedhee Magu, Male' city amidst the MDP-led Lootuvaifi protests on October 3, 2025. (Sun Photo/Ahmed Firyal)
Shiman, a youth wing member, said her phone was violently seized without a warrant. Within hours, a private image, reportedly taken when she was a minor, was leaked online.
Zahiyya, a National Council member, reported similar treatment, with her phone confiscated while taking her child to school. Sensitive content was later leaked from her device.
MDP has condemned the incidents as politically motivated intimidation and filed complaints with the National Integrity Commission, Parliament, and the Human Rights Commission of Maldives. The party is demanding an independent investigation into police conduct.