The Supreme Court in the Maldives is trying to impeach President Abdulla Yameen for not obeying its order to release jailed opposition leaders, the attorney general said on Sunday, warning of further instability in the Indian Ocean nation. "The information says the Supreme Court might issue a ruling to impeach or remove the president from power," he said, adding that government bodies had been given instructions not to carry out such an order. "The intimidation of the Supreme Court justices, with the highly irregular statement made by the attorney general defying the Supreme Court, supported by the two chiefs of the security forces, is tantamount to the effective sidelining of the judiciary and in direct contravention of the constitution," it said in a statement. "Maldivians are fearful that President Yameen is about to order a full military takeover of the country, in an attempt to ensure he is not removed from office." He told a party meeting on Saturday he "did not expect the Supreme Court ruling at all".Critics of the government continued to face pressure.

Source: dna February 04, 2018 08:00 UTC