The Maldivian Army has occupied Parliament in the country. Opposition members are not being allowed to bring no confidence motion. Some photos have also been doing the rounds where the military is seen attacking MP Ahmed Mahloof inside Parliament.
The Economist had on August 17, reported that the government lost its majority in the Majlis, or Parliament after MPs from the ruling party defected to the opposition. It had managed to stay in power after it got some opposition members ejected from the chamber. They had even deployed the army to prevent them from returning. The government had also changed the rules on no-confidence motions to have an upper hand during the political turmoil.
The courts had also decided to remove some opposition MPs from their seats and bagged for itself the final say on the impeachment of the president, contradicting the Constitution.
Maldives army appears to have taken control of parliament in Male__ 22-08-2017 @IPUparliament @IPUPresident @PGAction #saveMaldives pic.twitter.com/j1tp9WrLp8
— Almond (@almond3131) August 22, 2017
2017
Siffain vadhe majlis huttuvaalaigen nuvaane,maseeh ge ithubaaru othas ,neiythas Majlis vote akun dhivehi rayyithunnah haama vaan jehay! pic.twitter.com/gb9A9CYFbs
— _ (@Simwarr) August 22, 2017
Military siege of Parliament continues:1st sitting of month-Speaker conducts session surrounded by soldiers in plainclothes #ParliamentSiege pic.twitter.com/qUJWuky0bX
— Eva Abdulla __ (@evattey) August 22, 2017
Majils idhaaraya chember therya vadhe membarun gaya athlumuge @MNDF_Official othee kon Qaanoon akun kan Noos bayaanamun haama kohdhee pic.twitter.com/IowOGFBXnw
— Mohamed Faisal (@Mohamedfaisalmf) August 22, 2017
A suspicious fire in a restroom in Parliament had in the earlier months forced the session to be suspended. Parliament had last held a session on July 31, which had been cut-short after opposition lawmakers erupted in protest, laying siege to the speaker’s table.
