Senior members from the alliance of opposition parties, who are now in Belgium, have met with members of the European Parliament to discuss the political situation in the Maldives.
Abdulla Shahid, a former parliament speaker, sent out a tweet on Friday describing MEP Charles Tannock as a ‘true friend of the Maldives’.
Sincerely applaud the untiring efforts of @CharlesTannock MEP to restore democracy in Maldives. A true friend of the people of Maldives! pic.twitter.com/sSxyQjuLeF
— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) May 11, 2017
The parties’ delegation had also met with Paula Pampolini, head of the European External Action Service’s Asia Directive.
Updated Ms. Paula Pampaloni, Head of Asia Directorate, European External Action Service on the deteriorating political situation in Maldives
— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) May 12, 2017
Shahid further said that the delegation had briefed them on the murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed and his family call on the state to include reputable international investigators in the investigation.
In 2015, the European Union had passed a resolution to impose freezes on accounts belonging to members of the Maldivian government after concerns of a highly politicized judiciary, and restrictions on freedoms of political expression and freedom.