The Maldives government has voted in favour of freedom of assembly after pressing criminal charges against youth protest leaders.
The government voted to grant full freedom of assembly during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council on July 9.
In a statement issued on July 10, the Foreign Ministry said, "Several joint statements were co-sponsored by the Maldives on important issues such as promoting the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association."
"The Maldives was part of the cross-regional core group of the resolution on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association," it stated.
The resolution recognised the importance of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association for the full enjoyment of civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights.
It was adopted by consensus with 69 co-sponsors supporting the resolution at the time of adoption.
The protests led by youth leaders, Aishath Shimon Ahmed and Mohamed Mahzoom Majid, were not related to any political party.
They demanded justice for 21-year-old Hawwa Yumn Rasheed who was found with life threatening injured on a roof in Male'.
A series of protests took place in Male' before authorities took the matter seriously. But they later detained Shimon and Mahzoom and kept them in custody for nearly 24 hours.
Mahzoom was charged with assaulting or injuring a police officer. Shimon was charged with intentionally obstructing the work of a law enforcement officer.
Mahzoom faces a basic punishment of one month and six days in jail while Shimon faces a term of between four months and 24 days to one year in prison.
Police used excessive force in their arrest and both sustained some injuries. Police refused to take them to the hospital for treatment, keeping them in custody for about 12 hours before giving them medical attention.
