Watch: Massive protests outside Maldivian Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed's house

Updated:7 years, 9 months ago

Male (Maldives), Feb 04 (ANI): The current political unrest in the Maldives took a new turn when agitators massively protested outside Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed's house in Male late on Saturday. There were scuffles between the protesters and police in riot gear outside the Chief Justice's residence. The agitators are trying to force Justice Saeed and another supreme justice, Ali Hameed to resign. Eva Abdulla, Member of Parliament, of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) describing the ordeal told ANI over the phone, "Absolute breakdown of law and order. The public is on the edge. I am very concerned as we are facing increased unrest. They (police) have just used pepper spray and tear gas on the crowd." Meanwhile, Justice Saeed said, "We need our neighbours, especially India to do all that it can to impress upon the Govt of Maldives to implement the SC ruling." Agitators in the Maldivian capital on Saturday opened the gate of Maafushi Prison, where the 12 parliamentary members have been kept in detention, but did not enter inside. The prison officers came in their riot gears and tried to control the agitators in Male. Later, the National Defence Force also came in their riot gears. Protests continued in the Maldivian capital as President Abdulla Yameen refused to follow the Maldivian Supreme Court's ruling to release key political prisoners and reinstate the 12 parliamentary members. This decision has pushed the island nation into a crisis with the likelihood of emergency being declared, as Yameen has got the first session of parliament of 2018 (scheduled for February 5) cancelled, sensing that the opposition will be in majority because of the apex court order.