The main opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) says that all parties must be able to bring their own candidates for the next elections to be free and fair.

A statement released by the Party on Sunday stated that elections ‘cannot be considered free, fair or credible if opposition party candidates are prevented from contesting’.

‘On March 24, all the opposition leaders — President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, President Mohamed Nasheed, Hon. Qasim Ibrahim & Sheikh Imran — signed an agreement to restore Maldivian democracy and fundamental freedoms. In the agreement, the parties and their leaders agreed to work to ensure elections are free and fair, and candidates of political parties’ choosing are allowed to contest,’ the statement read.

It noted that with less than a year to the elections, the present administration was doing all possible to squash any possible opponents. As such, it noted that all opposition leaders were ‘under arrest or serving sentences on trumped up charges, designed to disqualify them from the elections’, with over 21 MPs under arrest or facing prosecution.

‘President Mohamed Nasheed, the MDP leader, must be allowed to stand as the party’s candidate. President Nasheed remains disqualified following an egregiously unjust and politically motivated show trial. The 2018 elections cannot be deemed credible, free or fair until this injustice is corrected,’ the statement added.

MDP also expressed concern over Government’s inaction in improving political sphere, adding that freeing political leaders was vital to this aspect.

‘The MDP is the largest political party in the country, with its members making up some 25% of the electorate, and the party commanding over 48% of the vote. Disqualifying the party’s candidate, President Nasheed, from the upcoming elections is unacceptable to the party and its supporters,’ the statement said in conclusion.