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Tuesday, 6 February 2018 00:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Maldivian government yesterday declared a 15-day State of Emergency, amidst risking public displeasure over its refusal to comply with the Supreme Court ruling releasing jailed Opposition political leaders. The move comes as pressure mounts both nationally and internationally to release nine Members of Parliament (MPs) as per the Supreme Court order issued on 1 February.
The political crisis in the atoll nation deepened as the government took steps to suspend sittings of the Parliament over the weekend and instructed the military to desist any attempt by the Supreme Court to impeach the sitting President.
Earlier yesterday, the President’s office made a submission to the Supreme Court, informing that the government was unable to comply with the ruling given on 1 February and requested that the Court annul part of the ruling that has left the Judicial Services Commission unable to carry out its duties.
The resignation of one of the State Ministers of Yameen’s government was the latest of a series of resignations that was triggered during the weekend as the crisis unfolded. A number of top ranking government officials resigned as the ruling party exerted pressure to defy the Supreme Court order to release political prisoners and reinstate 12 opposition MPs in Parliament.
Releasing a statement immediately after SoE was declared, former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, currently based in Sri Lanka, claimed the move was “tantamount to a declaration of martial law in the Maldives.”
“This declaration is unconstitutional and illegal. Nobody in the Maldives is required to, nor should, follow this unlawful order,” Nasheed said in his statement.
The first democratically elected President of Maldives, Nasheed is now living in exile following a court ruling giving him a 12-year jail sentence. The trial has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the 1 February ruling.
Opposition political leaders yesterday made an appeal to the international community to pressure President Yameen to “respect the rule of law, and implement last Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling.”
The resolution signed by the 37 opposition MPs urges “the international community, including India, Sri Lanka, the US, the UK, EU member states, international organisations and international NGOs, and all friends of the Maldives, to do everything in their power” to push the Maldivian government to abide by the Supreme Court ruling and to consider taking action to hold government officials accountable for violations of national and international law.
The appeal is the latest of series of action taken by the opposition to exert pressure on the government to comply with the landmark ruling by the Chief Justice, with demonstrations held every day in the capital Malé since the ruling was given out last week.
US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Atul Keshap expressed concern over the Maldivian crisis via twitter yesterday, expressing support to the Chief Justice of Maldives. Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives Bryce Hutchesson also released a statement over the escalating crisis in Maldives, and called on all parties to respect the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the Supreme Court’s decision.
