Maldives: Soldiers surround parliament and arrest MPs in Malé Feb. 4 /update 1

Event

Maldivian army soldiers surrounded and shut down the parliament building and arrested two members of parliament (MPs) in Malé on Sunday, February 4. The move comes as current President Abdulla Yameen continues to refuse to release imprisoned opposition politicians even after the Maldivian Supreme Court lifted their convictions - including those against former President Mohamed Nasheed, currently in exile - and ordered their release on Thursday, February 1.

Additionally, security forces arrested two opposition members of parliament (MPs) at Malé International Airport (MLE) on bribery charges around 12:00 (local time) on Sunday after they had returned to the country from exile. Political tensions are expected in to continue in the Maldives in the near term; related protests and demonstrations and consequent transportation disruptions are possible in Malé 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.  

The Supreme Court ordered the government to immediately release several jailed opposition leaders from prison on 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, effectively giving the political opposition a majority. MDP supporters rallied at the party's headquarters in central Malé on 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 Yameen to resign. The political opposition has accused Yameen of using his attorney general and the country's security forces to "cling onto power."

Advice

Individuals in the Maldives, particularly in Malé, are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all protests and demonstrations as a precaution, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.