Maldives President Declares State of Emergency

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has declared a 15-day state of emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced on state television on Monday. The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a deepening political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation as Yameen refuses to comply with a Supreme Court order to release political prisoners.

This comes a day after Yameen refused to follow SC’s ruling to release key political prisoners and reinstate 12 MPs.