MALDIVES
Trouble in Paradise
Following the arrest of two senior judges and the declaration of a state of emergency in the Maldives, exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed called for India to send in troops to free jailed opposition figures.
President Abdulla Yameen declared the state of emergency on Feb. 5 in the luxury holiday destination after he defied a Supreme Court ruling that quashed convictions ranging from terrorism to corruption against Nasheed and eight other opposition leaders, Reuters reported.
Yameen was elected president in 2013 after Nasheed was forced to resign amid a mutiny by police. But critics say he has since jailed political opponents, stifled free speech and attempted to undermine the judiciary.
Meanwhile, Nasheed aims to run for president again later this year, despite facing a 13-year prison sentence at home in connection with the charges quashed by the court.
India’s military remained on standby Tuesday, poised to evacuate tourists or intervene in the political crisis if New Delhi decides that is necessary, the Times of India reported. But the Indian Express quoted official sources as saying military action is off the table.
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