''In a letter to the court released by the president's office, Yameen said the court's order to release prisoners had encroached on the powers of the state and was an ``infringement of national security and public interest.'' A Supreme Court statement on Sunday said ``there are no obstacles in implementing the ruling ... and that this has been informed to the Prosecutor General's office. ''The government did not comment on soldiers entering the Supreme Court building or on Gayoom's arrest, but the president's main rival, who lives in exile, urged people not to obey what he called an ``unlawful order. He lost the 2013 presidential election to Yameen, then was convicted under Maldives' anti-terrorism laws over ordering the judge arrested. China urged people to avoid travel there and Australia and the U.S. told citizens to be cautious.

Source: Economic Times February 06, 2018 04:30 UTC