Four of the protesters at Jumhoory Maidhaan tested positive for drugs

The Maldives Police Services reported last night that four of the protesters arrested at Jumhoory Maidhaan last evening were tested positive for substance abuse.

Last evening, about 17:30 local time, a crowd of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activists gathered at the Jumhoory Maidhaan, and 32 were arrested when the protesters turned violent. Arrested persons were taken to Dhoonidhoo and tested for substance use whilst they were in detention there.

Four persons who were tested positive for substance abuse have been identified as Ismail Abdullah, 29, Bansareege, G.Dh. Gadhdhoo, Mohamed Sabah, 39, H. Fenthilage, Malé, Hussain Mufeed, 43, Huvandhumaage, H.Dh. Vaikaradhoo, and Aishath Laisha Abdullah, 24, MA. Shaah, Malé. Laisha was the only female arrested yesterday.

All the persons arrested yesterday are still in police custody at Dhoonidhoo. They include Adil Saleem, who was the Transport Minister at MDP Leader Nasheed’s administration.

Yesterday’s protest was dispersed by the police moments not long after the crowd gathered there. According to reports, those who became violent in disobeying the police sustained some minor injuries.

MDP has continued its most-often-violent protests, burning police vehicles and attacking and terrorizing individual police officers, government officials including Ministers, and common people who criticize their protests, for a long time. The protests have been advertised as “Direct Activism”, and will not, according to MDP leaders, relent even during the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan.