Maldives opposition denounces arrest of 17 protesters

Male, March 04: The Maldives opposition denounced on Saturday the arrest of 17 protesters, including three MPs of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), in the latest round of defiance against the emergency imposed by President Abdulla Yameen a month ago.

The opposition, led by the MDP, said in a joint statement that police had arrested 17 demonstrators, including three MPs -- Abdulla Shahid, Abdul Latheef Mohamed and Abdulla Riyaz -- along with several activists and council members of the party during the latest protests in the archipelago, which began on Friday and continued early Saturday, Maldives Independent reported.

"President Yameen is abusing the Maldives Police Service to attack his political critics in the most cowardly way possible," the opposition said in the statement.