MDP proposes repeal of freedom of peaceful assembly law

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has proposed to repeal the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act in full, seeking to restore the right to demonstrate without prior permission from authorities.

The bill, submitted by MDP MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, is scheduled for its first reading in Parliament on Tuesday. It proposes to repeal the entire law, arguing that it contradicts Article 32 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly without state authorisation.

According to the bill, the repeal is intended to ensure citizens enjoy the full extent of the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. It further states that existing laws already provide sufficient powers to the police to maintain public order and safety, making the Act unnecessary.

If passed, the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act would be repealed from the date of its adoption by Parliament.

The law was originally enacted in 2013 following a series of protests organised by the MDP after the change of government in February 2012. In 2016, the administration of then-President Abdulla Yameen amended the Act to require police authorisation for protests held outside areas designated by the government.

Following the amendment, the Home Ministry restricted demonstrations without permission to the Carnival area in Malé. At the time, then-opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih rejected the amendment, calling it unconstitutional and pledging continued protest action. Solih later came to power in 2018 with a promise to amend the law but did not fulfil that commitment before leaving office.

President Mohamed Muizzu, during his campaign, also pledged to revise the law to allow public gatherings without permission except in areas related to national security or religious sites. In his presidential address to Parliament last year, he reiterated the call for the law’s amendment.

Although the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) holds a parliamentary majority, no government-sponsored bill to amend the Act has yet been submitted. Attorney General Ahmed Usham recently stated that the government plans to propose amendments, but no details have been announced.

While the law remains in effect, the government has designated three locations in Malé where gatherings can take place without prior permission: Rasfannu, Hulhumalé Industrial Zone, and Lonuziyaaraiy Kolhu.