Maldivian President lifts emergency after 45 days

Male [Maldives], Mar 22 (ANI): Maldives President Abdulla Yameen on Thursday lifted a 45-day state of emergency which had outlawed protests amid a political crisis in the country.

A press release published by the Maldives Times stated that "The announcement of a State of Emergency was precipitated by a Constitutional Crisis created by two Justices of the Supreme Court who conspired with political actors to violate both the Constitution and standard legal norms and practices in order to illegally overthrow a lawful Government, and whose actions constituted an imminent threat to national security."

"The Maldives Police Service, under the guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General, has been able to progress substantially into their investigation of corruption and other crimes relating to the Constitutional Crisis," it added.

President Yameen imposed a state of emergency on February 5 for 15 days to annul a Supreme Court ruling that quashed convictions against nine opposition leaders and ordered his government to free those held in prison. The emergency was further extended to 30 days.

During the emergency, the current administration arrested the chief justice, another Supreme Court judge and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on allegations of attempting to overthrow the government. (ANI)