Criminal Court on Sunday granted a five-day extension on the remand of two female protesters arrested over repeated harassment of a diplomat.

Police arrested Aishath Shadhiya and Dr. Shazra Ibrahim on 28 August following a Court order.

The two women were initially remanded in police custody for three days; but the remand has been extended since.

They are accused by the police of violating the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act by repeatedly gathering near diplomatic missions, using abusive language and obstructing the functioning of diplomatic missions.

They have also been accused of harassing a particular ambassador and obstructing the police from discharging their duties by refusing to do so when they were asked to leave the area peacefully.

The police, however, did not specify which ambassador or which diplomatic missions the two women were harassed.

Police said they have repeatedly requested them not to indulge in such acts before arresting them.