Republic of Maldives lifts state of emergency
The Republic of Maldives has lifted a state of emergency recently declared by President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, saying the security situation in the country has improved.
“Maldives lifts state of emergency with immediate effect. All fundamental rights restored in the Maldives,” the Maldivian Foreign Ministry announced on social media on Tuesday.
The ministry had announced that the state of emergency would remain in force for 30 days.
The announcement came in the wake of a suspected attempt on Gayoom’s life in September. Officials said a homemade bomb was discovered inside a house near the presidential office.
Attorney General Mohamed Anil announced that the emergency was declared to safeguard public safety.
“The military and police found weapons and an explosive from two locations in their operations. Because these would be a threat to the public and the nation, the National Security Council has advised to take immediate steps to protect the people of Maldives,” the Maldivian attorney general said on November 4.
The state of emergency would allow police and security forces to enter and search homes and make arrests without obtaining any court warrant.
Citizens had also been restricted to the country’s islands and travelling between them to attend any protest or demonstration had been banned.
The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had planned to hold a major anti-government demonstration on Friday, November 6.
The MDP says the government should release its leader and former president, Mohamed Nasheed.
The opposition leader was sentenced to 13 years in prison in March after the government convicted him under anti-terror laws. Nasheed was accused of ordering the arrest of a chief judge or forceful abduction and detention on Girifushi island, judicial officials said at the time.
The Maldives held its first multiparty elections in 2008, when Nasheed ended 30 years of autocratic rule by Gayoom's half-brother. The democratically elected leader, Nasheed resigned in 2012 in the face of popular protests and was later defeated by Gayoom in disputed votes in 2013.
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