The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), joined by the Adhaalath Party, held a mass protest in the capital Malé on Friday night against President Mohamed Muizzu’s government, accusing it of economic mismanagement and broken promises.
Thousands of people participated in the demonstration titled “Lootuvaifi Lootuvaifi,” with hundreds travelling from other islands despite government attempts to restrict the gathering. MDP leaders, including Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, party President Abdulla Shahid, and former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, led the rally from the Artificial Beach area.
Senior MDP figures who spoke at the protest accused the government of “looting the state.” They demanded that President Muizzu repeal the constitutional amendment targeting parliament members, end the exploitation of state-owned companies for personal gain, settle private company dues within five weeks, restore decentralisation and council powers, repeal the Maldives Broadcasting and Media Control Act, and ensure safe medicines through Aasandha.
Security agencies were on high alert ahead of the protest. Police reshuffled senior leadership in Malé, removing Assistant Commissioner Asim Abdulla from his post as area commander after his reported links to protest security planning. The Maldives Correctional Service placed all prisons on alert and instructed staff to report in tactical gear. Various areas of Malé remained closed to vehicles and pedestrians during the demonstration.
Police used pepper spray and a high-decibel Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) to disperse the crowd. Media personnel, including those from Raajje TV, were instructed to leave the protest site as demonstrators attempted to march along the capital’s main street, Majeedhee Magu, and clashed with riot police. Several demonstrators were affected by the pepper spray and LRAD, and one person was hospitalised after suffering a heart attack. He remains in critical condition.
MDP Legal Director Ahmed Maurouf said the LRAD was not an authorised weapon and described its use as “an act of violence.” He alleged that the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives was not monitoring the protest following orders from Muizzu.
At least 15 demonstrators were reportedly arrested, including former Dhaandhoo MP Yauqoob Abdulla and former Kulhudhuffushi North MP Yasir Abdul Latheef. The exact number of those detained was not immediately known, and police said legal action would be taken against protesters for attempting to obstruct officers. The MDP legal team said authorities had refused to disclose the identities and whereabouts of those arrested, a move they claimed violated legal procedures.
The protest came amid growing concerns over “increasingly authoritarian” measures by the Muizzu government, through which, critics say, it has already taken control of the judiciary, independent institutions, and the media. Since taking office, the administration has pushed through constitutional amendments expanding presidential powers, consolidating control over independent institutions, and rolling back constitutional freedoms, most recently bringing media oversight effectively under the executive, according to observers.
The government is also facing criticism over the state of the economy, with soaring prices, foreign currency shortages, and a growing national debt making life increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens. Small business owners say they are “struggling to stay afloat amid unpaid state dues and delayed payments,” while the opposition accuses the administration of widespread corruption and exploiting state-owned companies for personal or political gain.