Misbah Shareef, the Organizing Secretary of the Drivers' Association of Maldives, who was among the taxi drivers arrested for protesting and expressing concerns about the government's preparations to provide taxi services, has been released from custody.

He was released on Thursday.

Misbah was arrested by the Maldives Police Service (MPS) under a court order on the night of December 13. He was arrested near the Nala Taxi Center in Hulhumalé.

Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Misbah posted that happiness was going to jail for the rights of hundreds of drivers. He also thanked everyone who supported him.

Five drivers were arrested in connection with the protest that took place in the highway area between Hulhumalé and Malé. All of them have since been released on conditional bail.

Taxi drivers in the Greater Malé Region took to the streets in protest due to their dissatisfaction with the government's policies regarding taxi services. They resorted to protesting after their concerns were not adequately addressed despite bringing them to the government's attention.