Amnesty To All Political Detainees

24 December

The President of the Maldives has been urged by Denis MacShane to grant an amnesty to all political detainees and to stop political charges against journalists and the democratic opposition on the popular holiday destination.

In a letter sent to the High Commissioner of Maldives in London, Denis MacShane writes:

I wish your country well. But please do not underestimate the growing anger amongst MPs about the continuing imprisonment, arrest, harassment of dear friends of ours in the Maldives.

As a member of the Council of Europe I shall certainly be discussing this with colleagues from other European nations.

I believe the Maldives tourist industry will begin to suffer as the swelling tide of negative publicity grows.

British and other European tourists are not over-concerned with the internal politics of countries they visit but as the negative reputation of the Maldives continues to grow as the result of the judicial attacks and imprisonment of popular democratic reformers like Mohammed Nasheed or Jenny Latheef do not underestimate the concerns that will arise amongst holidaymakers when they chose the countries they will visit.

I appreciate the efforts of the government to put in place new constitutional systems but they will convince no-one until all charges are dropped against friends of many MPs of all parties in  the UK like Mr Masheed or Ms Latheef.

I hope you will convey these points to the Foreign Minister and President and the latter can announce am amnesty for all political prisoners for 2006.

Yours sincerely,

Rt Hon Dr Denis MacShane MP