The Maldives’ chief justice was arrested Tuesday as security forces stormed the Supreme Court at dawn, in a deepening confrontation with President Abdulla Yameen who has declared a state of emergency in the troubled honeymoon islands. The detention of Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and another Supreme Court judge raised the stakes in a dramatic clash after Yameen refused to comply with an order to release nine political dissidents. “The Supreme Court must remember that it too is bound by law.”He said the government would “facilitate calm” and ensure the safety of all citizens and tourists “throughout this unusual period”. “The reason for the declaration is that the Supreme Court’s ruling was obstructing the functioning of the government,” presidential aide Azima Shukoor said on national television. “(This) is tantamount to a declaration of martial law in the Maldives,” Nasheed said, urging regional super power India to intervene.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 06, 2018 03:11 UTC