Maldives crisis intensifies with declaration of Emergency, Former President Gayoom arrested

The political crisis in the Maldives has deepened with the arrest of Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed, and Judicial Administrator Hassan Saeed barely hours after President Abdulla Yameen declared the State of Emergency in the country.

The information about arrests was shared by former speaker of parliament Abdulla Shahid by a Twitter post. Gayoom’s son-in-law was also arrested.

He tweeted: "Former President Maumoom Abdul Gayoom and his son in law arrested by Special Operations @PoliceMv after breaking down the door to their residence. #MaldivesInCrisis #StateOfEmergency"

Former President Maumoom Abdul Gayoom and his son in law arrested by Special Operations @PoliceMv after breaking down the door to their residence. #MaldivesInCrisis #StateOfEmergency

— Abdulla Shahid 🎈 (@abdulla_shahid) February 5, 2018

President Yameen has refused to comply with the court's order to release political prisoners.

Team Maumoon informed about all the arrests early on Tuesday.

It tweeted, "We can confirm Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Ali Hameed and Administrator of Department of Judicial Administration arrested."

We can confirm Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,Justice Ali Hameed and Administrator of Department of Judicial Administration arrested

— Team Maumoon (@MaumoonTeam) February 5, 2018