Maldives: Police disperse opposition supporters in Malé Feb. 2

Event

The Supreme Court ordered the government to immediately release several jailed opposition leaders, including former president Mohamed Nasheed, from prison on Thursday, February 1. According to the court’s ruling, the trials against Nasheed and the other leaders violated the constitution. The court also ordered a retrial for Nasheed and reinstated 12 members of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to parliament. MDP supporters rallied at the party’s headquarters in central Malé on Friday, February 2, to celebrate the ruling. Minor clashes between the demonstrators and police officers were reported, and security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. Opposition supporters also called for President Abdulla Yameen to resign. Further demonstrations may occur in the coming days.

Context

Nasheed, the Maldives’s first democratically elected president, was arrested and jailed on terrorism charges in 2015. He attempted to gain asylum in the UK in 2016 after traveling to the country for medical care. Nasheed is currently living in exile in Sri Lanka. The Supreme Court’s ruling will allow Nasheed to run in the 2019 president election.

Advice

Individuals in Maldives, particularly in Malé, are advised to monitor the situation and avoid all demonstrations as a precaution.