Maldives says SL didn't blacklist top diplomat, MP

The Maldivian Government denied Sunday reports that authorities of Sri Lanka had confiscated passports of two high ranking Maldivian officials after they were blacklisted "by mistake."

Haveeru reported that the passports of foreign minister Dhunya Maumoon and her brother Faris Maumoon, who is a parliamentarian, were confiscated after they travelled to Sri Lanka on an unofficial visit. They were reportedly held at the airport for more than an hour before being told that they had been blacklisted “by mistake”.

Denying the report, the foreign ministry said on twitter that several Maldivians travelling overseas since the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001 face questions at immigration counters at various airports.

“Names of Minister Dunya & MP Faris never blacklisted, and their passports never confiscated,” a tweet read.

Dhunya and Faris -- children of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom -- was in Sri Lanka to visit a relative admitted at a Sri Lankan hospital. Their father and other family members had separately gone to Sri Lanka to visit their relative receiving treatment, but they did not face any obstacles.

On his visit, Gayoom met Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, while Dhunya separately met with the prime minister.

The incident followed the arrest of three people over a recent assassination plot on the president that involved a sniper brought into Maldives from Sri Lanka.