President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has for the first time addressed the opposition's protests staged in the islands during his campaigning ahead of the MDP Primary.
The opposition has staged protests in most of the islands the President has visited during his campaign trail including Alifu Alifu Atoll Maalhos which the President visited today.
Speaking to his supporters on the island, President Solih said that under past governments, there was fear surrounding freedom of expression and the right to assemble.
The President said that since he came into power back in 2018, the hindrances to these rights have been removed.
President Solih advised making good use of the right to assemble and the freedom of expression.
He added that he had no intention of curtailing freedom of expression and the right to assemble.
The President said that even if individuals are expressing their opinions, they should do this in a manner that does not disturb others and others must be given chances to express their opinions too.
In most of the islands the President visited, the opposition staged its protests in the areas where the President was meeting with his supporters. The opposition has been calling for the release of former President Abdullah Yameen who was sentenced to an 11-year jail sentence last month.
