The Latest: Maldives issues invite for visits by officials
MALE, Maldives (AP) – The Latest on the political crisis in the Maldives after the country’s supreme court ordered imprisoned politicians released and the president declared a state of emergency (all times local):
12:20 a.m.
The government of the Maldives is inviting representatives of foreign governments and international organizations to visit the country while it is in a 15-day state of emergency declared by its president that has been internationally condemned.
The country’s foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday that the invitation was being offered so critics can assess the situation in the country and its level of safety and security.
Tourism dominates the country’s economy, with wealthy foreigners who stay at hyper-expensive resort islands.
The country has been in political turmoil since last Friday, when the supreme court issued an order for the release of imprisoned opposition politicians.
The turmoil has been limited to the capital of Male, far from many tourism destinations in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation.
10:50 p.m.
The acting police chief of the Maldives says the country’s chief justice and another supreme court judge took bribes in return for issuing a surprise ruling last week ordering the release of imprisoned politicians opposed to President Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
Abdulla Nawaz said Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed received millions of dollars and that police “have proof of these transactions.”
They have been arrested along with former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom amid a state of emergency declared by Yameen.
Nawaz late Wednesday also accused Gayoom of bribing lawmakers “to oust the government and also creating dissent within armed forces to rebel against the government.”
The Maldives is an archipelago of more than 1,000 islands with fewer than 400,000 citizens, more than one-third of them living in the crowded capital city, Male. Tourism now dominates the economy, with wealthy foreigners flown to hyper-expensive resort islands.
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9 p.m.
The U.N. human rights chief has called the declaration of a state of emergency in the Maldives and the resulting suspension of constitutional guarantees an “all-out assault on democracy.”
Political turmoil has swept the Maldives since a surprise court ruling last week that ordered the release of jailed opposition leaders, including many of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s main political rivals. He imposed a state of emergency on Monday.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said the restrictions “create a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of the president.”
Zeid’s criticism came a day after three Maldives Supreme Court justices annulled their earlier order to free the imprisoned opposition politicians after two of the court’s justices were arrested.
The annulment came after Yameen declared the state of emergency, which gives officials sweeping powers to make arrests, search and seize property and restrict freedom of assembly.
Policemen arrest former Maldives president and opposition leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, center, after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency in Male, Maldives, early Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. The Maldives government declared a 15-day state of emergency Monday as the political crisis deepened in the Indian Ocean nation amid an increasingly bitter standoff between the president and the Supreme Court. Hours after the emergency was declared, soldiers forced their way into the Supreme Court building, where the judges were believed to be taking shelter, said Ahmed Maloof, an opposition member of Parliament. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan)
A Maldives policeman charges with baton towards protesters after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency in Male, Maldives, early Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. The Maldives government declared a 15-day state of emergency Monday as the political crisis deepened in the Indian Ocean nation amid an increasingly bitter standoff between the president and the Supreme Court. Hours after the emergency was declared, soldiers forced their way into the Supreme Court building, where the judges were believed to be taking shelter, said Ahmed Maloof, an opposition member of Parliament. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan)
Former Maldives president and opposition leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is being taken to prison by police after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency in Male, Maldives, early Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. The Maldives government declared a 15-day state of emergency Monday as the political crisis deepened in the Indian Ocean nation amid an increasingly bitter standoff between the president and the Supreme Court. Hours after the emergency was declared, soldiers forced their way into the Supreme Court building, where the judges were believed to be taking shelter, said Ahmed Maloof, an opposition member of Parliament. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan)
Maldives policemen clear the area of supreme court after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency in Male, Maldives, early Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. The Maldives government declared a 15-day state of emergency Monday as the political crisis deepened in the Indian Ocean nation amid an increasingly bitter standoff between the president and the Supreme Court. Hours after the emergency was declared, soldiers forced their way into the Supreme Court building, where the judges were believed to be taking shelter, said Ahmed Maloof, an opposition member of Parliament. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan)
Maldives defence soldiers patrol on the main street of Male, Maldives, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. The Maldives government has declared a 15-day state of emergency as the political crisis deepens in the Indian Ocean nation amid an increasingly bitter standoff between the president and the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/ Mohamed Sharuhaan)
In this late Sunday, Feb.4, 2018 photo, Maldivian opposition supporters shout slogans during a protest as they the urge the government to obey a Supreme Court order to release and retry political prisoners, including an ex-president in Male, Maldives. The political crisis in the Maldives deepened Monday, as the government of the island nation said it would not obey a Supreme Court order to free a group of imprisoned opposition leaders. Placards in Divehi language from left, to right, read, “protect the citizens , carry out the supreme court’s order, free political prisoners and to uphold justice”. (AP Photo/ Mohamed Sharuhaan)
