Maldives to charge dissidents ahead of reform talks

The members of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) are to be charged for their role in last Tuesday's street protests in the capital island Male, chief government spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef told AFP.

"The demonstration itself was a flop, but the attorney general is going to charge the 10 people for their unruly activities," Shareef said by telephone.

The MDP demonstration came ahead of a meeting the government has arranged between all political parties and a Commonwealth expert who has been asked to draft a new constitution for the nation of 300,000 Sunni Muslims.

Former Malaysian deputy prime minister Musa Hitam will be in the Maldives from February 5 to consult with the new parties before writing the draft, Shareef said.