Clashes erupted in the Maldives between police and supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed on Friday as they took to…
Representational images (PHOTO: Getty Images)
Clashes erupted in the Maldives between police and supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed on Friday as they took to the streets celebrating a ruling by the Supreme Court to release the exiled leader along with other high-profile prisoners.
Talking about the developments in Maldives, India said on Friday that it was “closely monitoring” the volatile situation.
“In the spirit of democracy and rule of law, it is imperative for all organs of the Government of Maldives to respect and abide by the order of the apex court,” the ministry of external affairs said in a statement.
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The statement further said that India “wishes to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Maldives.”
The top court in Thursday night’s ruling declared that “the politician’s original trials violated the constitutional and international law”, the BBC reported.
It called for their immediate release and said the “questionable and politically motivated nature of the trials of the political leaders warrant a re-trial”.
Former Vice-President Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor and other opposition leaders were among the others named in the latest order. The decision effectively restores the opposition majority in Parliament, reinstating 12 members who had been stripped of their seats.
Hundreds of Nasheed supporters took to the streets to celebrate but clashes broke out after President Yameen Abdul Gayoom fired the country’s police chief, whose department had announced that it would uphold the verdict.
Police fired teargas to disperse opposition supporters gathered in the capital while riot police urged people not to take part in any protests and asked everyone to immediately leave, the local media reported.
(With IANS inputs)
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