The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned the police crackdown on a demonstration held to mark three years since journalist Ahmed Rilwan’s abduction.

In a statement released on Wednesday, MDP had noted the police’s violent treatment of the demonstrators and several ways in which the institution has failed to substantially investigate the abduction.

“The Police obstructed the path of the demonstrators; heavily pepper- sprayed the crowd and snatched placards from the demonstrators. The Police also specifically targeted Rilwan’s mother and pepper- sprayed her” the statement says.

It further described the police to have been negligent towards suspects in the case and criticized them for not sharing key details of the investigation with Rilwan’s family – noting that the police had allowed suspects to ‘flee’ the country and ignoring ‘many other unanswered questions’.

“Last week, the Minister of Home Affairs, at a press conference referred to the “death of Rilwan.” However, the family has never been informed of a certain death. The Minister has refused to clarify his comments. President Abdulla Yameen had callously shrugged off journalists’ questions about the abduction, and has refused to comment since then. An investigative documentary by Al Jazeera, Stealing Paradise had revealed damning links between Government officials and the kidnapping of the 28-year-old. The exposé also showed evidence of President Yameen’s efforts to undermine the investigation into the abduction of Rilwan” the statement further said.

The party’s statement then noted the police’s ‘failure’ to tackle violent crimes in the city, highlighting that there have been two brutal murders in Malé city within the last two weeks.