Adam Jones
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives announced today introduction of a state of emergency "to ensure the safety of all citizens" in accordance with Art. 253 of the Constitution - reported authorities on Twitter. The state of emergency, which is administered for 30 days, in particular, provides a significant expansion of the security forces powers to conduct searches without a warrant and detain suspects. Citizens are forbidden to travel between the islands, launch strikes and other protests.
Cause for concern from the authorities is sufficient: from October 24, the country is being in conflict-affected state, caused by arrest of Vice-president Ahmed Adib on charges of treason. The authorities accuse Vice president of involvement in the assassination of President Abdullah Yamin, which took place on 28 September. On that day, the president was returning on his boat in Male airport to a neighboring island, when an explosion thundered. President was not hurt, but his wife and two officials were injured. In the course of investigation conducted by specialists FBI, no evidence that the cause of the incident was an improvised explosive device was found. Thus, experts have questioned the very fact of assassination attempt, and validity of the arrest of Vice-president.
However, a bomb was allegedly found and defused on Monday in a parking lot near the presidential palace in Male. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Maldives Umar Nasir, the improvised explosive device with remote control has been manufactured using dynamite. According to him, the president’s life was attempted by the same people who failed to get their way with help of the boat explosion. However, he did not specify exactly who committed the assassination. In turn, the country's Prosecutor General Mohamed Anil said that the military and the police found several caches of weapons and ammunition in recent days, as well as revealed being prepared anti-government protests. "It is a threat to society and the country's National Security Council recommended to take immediate steps to protect people of the Maldives," - said Mr. Anil.
Meanwhile, the state of emergency would help the authorities to prevent opposition protest scheduled for Friday. Supporters of the Maldives Democratic Party would take to the streets demanding release of leader Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Republic of Maldives, from the Male prison. Recall that in March this year, Mohamed Nasheed was sent to prison for 13 years on charges of terrorism for an allegedly issued in 2012 decree on illegal arrest of Head of the Criminal Court of the Maldives. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, as well as US authorities said at the time that Abdulla Yamin’s government has not provided Mohamed Nasheed with right to a fair trial, and called the trial politically motivated.
source: bbc.com
Cause for concern from the authorities is sufficient: from October 24, the country is being in conflict-affected state, caused by arrest of Vice-president Ahmed Adib on charges of treason. The authorities accuse Vice president of involvement in the assassination of President Abdullah Yamin, which took place on 28 September. On that day, the president was returning on his boat in Male airport to a neighboring island, when an explosion thundered. President was not hurt, but his wife and two officials were injured. In the course of investigation conducted by specialists FBI, no evidence that the cause of the incident was an improvised explosive device was found. Thus, experts have questioned the very fact of assassination attempt, and validity of the arrest of Vice-president.
However, a bomb was allegedly found and defused on Monday in a parking lot near the presidential palace in Male. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Maldives Umar Nasir, the improvised explosive device with remote control has been manufactured using dynamite. According to him, the president’s life was attempted by the same people who failed to get their way with help of the boat explosion. However, he did not specify exactly who committed the assassination. In turn, the country's Prosecutor General Mohamed Anil said that the military and the police found several caches of weapons and ammunition in recent days, as well as revealed being prepared anti-government protests. "It is a threat to society and the country's National Security Council recommended to take immediate steps to protect people of the Maldives," - said Mr. Anil.
Meanwhile, the state of emergency would help the authorities to prevent opposition protest scheduled for Friday. Supporters of the Maldives Democratic Party would take to the streets demanding release of leader Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Republic of Maldives, from the Male prison. Recall that in March this year, Mohamed Nasheed was sent to prison for 13 years on charges of terrorism for an allegedly issued in 2012 decree on illegal arrest of Head of the Criminal Court of the Maldives. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, as well as US authorities said at the time that Abdulla Yamin’s government has not provided Mohamed Nasheed with right to a fair trial, and called the trial politically motivated.
source: bbc.com