Solih: Persecution of opposition leaders marks return to cycle of tyranny

The move to summon opposition leaders to the police on unfounded charges marks a return to a bitter cycle of tyranny, says former Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Solih, a special advisor at the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), made the remark in a post on X on Wednesday night. His comment comes after the police summoned MDP’s chairperson Fayyaz Ismail for questioning in a corruption investigation.

Earlier on Wednesday, Fayyaz shared the summons he received from the police asking him to present himself for questioning regarding an ongoing investigation into a corruption case.

According to the summons, Fayyaz is suspected of financial gain from transactions involving embezzlement of Road Development Corporation (RDC)’s funds.

Fayyaz denied the case against him, and described it as “the beginning of a cycle of baseless political allegations.”

Retweeting his post, Solih expressed concern over the situation.

“The start of summoning opposition leaders to the police headquarters without any basis revives the bitter cycle of tyranny and infringement of the constitution we experienced before,” he wrote. “You can serve the people without being tyrannical.”

އެއްވެސް އަސާސެއްނެތި އިދިކޮޅު ސިޔާސީ ލީޑަރުން ފުލުސް އޮފީހަށް ހާޒިރުކުރަން ފެށުމުން އެ އިޔާދަވަނީ ކުރީގައިވެސް އަޅުގަނޑުމެން ދުށް އަނިޔާވެރިކަމާއި ޤާނޫނީ މުއައްސަސާތަކުގެ ބާރު ކަނޑުވާލުމުގެ ހިތި ސިލްސިލާ. އަނިޔާވެރި ނުވެވެސް ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ހިދުމަތް ކުރެވޭނެ. https://t.co/U5VUD9hc8C

— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) March 27, 2024

The former president had previously accused President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of harboring a spirit of political retaliation.

The police previously said it was investigating a case involving the transfer of RDC’s funds to the bank accounts of the companies owned by top government officials as well as their personal accounts.