MDP Condemns LRAD Use, ‘Indiscriminate’ Arrests in Protest Crackdown

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) condemned the 'violent dispersal' of peaceful protesters in Malé and the use of Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) by police during a crackdown on October 3, 2025. The MDP stated that 13 people were arrested, including two former lawmakers and the sitting president of Maafushi Council, and that detainees were denied access to legal counsel. The protest, organized by the MDP and backed by the Adhaalath Party under the slogan 'Lootuvaifi Lootuvaifi,' drew thousands, including hundreds from other islands. One protester, MDP vice president Mohamed Raslaan, suffered a heart attack after exposure to pepper spray and LRADs. The MDP warned that LRADs pose serious health risks and accused President Muizzu's government of resorting to authoritarian tactics, undermining judicial independence, and silencing the media. The party called for the immediate release of detainees and urged international pressure on the administration. The government has faced criticism over economic mismanagement, rising debt, and corruption, and has enacted constitutional amendments expanding presidential powers.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) condemned the 'violent dispersal' of peaceful protesters in Malé and the use of Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) by police during a crackdown on October 3, 2025. The MDP stated that 13 people were arrested, including two former lawmakers and the sitting president of Maafushi Council, and that detainees were denied access to legal counsel. The protest, organized by the MDP and backed by the Adhaalath Party under the slogan 'Lootuvaifi Lootuvaifi,' drew thousands, including hundreds from other islands. One protester, MDP vice president Mohamed Raslaan, suffered a heart attack after exposure to pepper spray and LRADs. The MDP warned that LRADs pose serious health risks and accused President Muizzu's government of resorting to authoritarian tactics, undermining judicial independence, and silencing the media. The party called for the immediate release of detainees and urged international pressure on the administration. The government has faced criticism over economic mismanagement, rising debt, and corruption, and has enacted constitutional amendments expanding presidential powers.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) condemned the 'violent dispersal' of peaceful protesters in Malé and the use of Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) by police during a crackdown on October 3, 2025. The MDP stated that 13 people were arrested, including two former lawmakers and the sitting president of Maafushi Council, and that detainees were denied access to legal counsel. The protest, organized by the MDP and backed by the Adhaalath Party under the slogan 'Lootuvaifi Lootuvaifi,' drew thousands, including hundreds from other islands. One protester, MDP vice president Mohamed Raslaan, suffered a heart attack after exposure to pepper spray and LRADs. The MDP warned that LRADs pose serious health risks and accused President Muizzu's government of resorting to authoritarian tactics, undermining judicial independence, and silencing the media. The party called for the immediate release of detainees and urged international pressure on the administration. The government has faced criticism over economic mismanagement, rising debt, and corruption, and has enacted constitutional amendments expanding presidential powers.

This story involves 1 source and may affect public understanding of police violence / protest.