Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has welcomed the statement issued by the Interparliamentary Union following the 137^th Assembly of the Union in St Petersburg, Russia.

President Gayyoom welcomed the statement in a tweet sent out Wednesday, a few hours after the statement was issued by the IPU.

“I warmly welcome the IPU position in support of our opposition MPs and the offer of protection and redress by IPU Committee on Human Rights of MPs, to our individual MPs suffering from human rights abuses”, his tweet said.

While the former Preisdent welcomed the IPU statement, his son – Faris Maumoon, MP for Dhiggaru – is being held in custody pending his trial. The IPU statement highlighted the issue of MP Faris and other MPs who have trials pending against them on different charges, ranging from bribery to terrorism.

The IPU has decided to send a fact-finding mission to the Maldives to gather more information regarding the human rights abuse complaints lodged to the Union by opposition MPs. IPU also expressed concern over the presence of military on the grounds of the People’s Majlis.

President Maumoon is in Malaysia with his wife on a personal visit at the moment.