Opposition calls on army to arrest president before election

The opposition coalition on Tuesday called on the army and police to arrest MDP presidential candidate, President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih and “shackle him” ahead of the September 9 presidential election.

The opposition PPM-PNC coalition interim leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla made the call while speaking at a party camp meeting on Tuesday evening.

Referring to the protests against President Solih in some islands by opposition supporters during his presidential campaign, Abdul Raheem praised the participants of the protests. He said that President Solih was a "traitor" to the country and he was not "worthy of stepping on Maldivian soil”.

Abdul Raheem said although the president bears a Maldivian, Muslim name, he cannot be considered a Maldivian. He called on the army and police to arrest President Solih and his associates before the elections.

This is something that Abdul Rahim has called for in several previous rallies, but he took it to another level on Tuesday. He called on the police and armed forces to "grab and arrest" the president and "shackle him" to ensure free and fair elections as well as jailed opposition leader Adbdulla Yameen’s candidacy.

"Ibrahim Mohammed Solih should not be allowed to be free like this. He should be kept somewhere, shackled and locked up. I am not joking. He should not be even looked upon unless he is chained on all fours," he said.

"The Maldivian army and police should come out and arrest Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his aides, and give Yameen the opportunity to contest this year's presidential election."

Yameen's candidacy is in doubt as the appeal hearings over the 11-year jail sentence against him have stalled at High Court.