Parliament Rejects Bid to Repeal Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act

Parliament has voted down a bill seeking to repeal the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act, with a clear majority rejecting the proposal submitted by South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Nasym.

During today’s sitting, 48 MPs voted against the repeal and 11 voted in favour. The outcome effectively halts Meekail’s attempt to abolish the contentious law, which has long been criticised by civil society groups and opposition figures for placing restrictions on public demonstrations.

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In his address to the chamber, Meekail argued that it had been a “big mistake” for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) not to remove the restrictions when it held both the presidency and a parliamentary supermajority. He noted that the Act—originally passed during former president Abdulla Yameen’s administration—had been fiercely opposed by the then-opposition MDP, which staged regular rallies against it.

Despite this history, the MDP did not pursue amendments or a repeal after coming into power in 2018 and winning a dominant parliamentary majority in 2019. Meekail said this failure had undermined the party’s long-standing position on civil liberties.

While MDP MPs largely supported the bill put forward by their colleague, members of the ruling coalition criticised the proposal, arguing that the legislation should remain in place or be reviewed through a separate process.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has previously pledged to ease restrictions on public assembly in Malé City following his 2023 election victory. However, his administration has yet to introduce its own bill addressing the matter.