Maldives emergency: Ex-President Mohamed Nasheed urges India to send military backed envoy to release detainees

Maldives' first democratically-elected President Mohamed Nasheed on Tuesday urged India to send a military-backed envoy to release the judges and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who were arrested hours after the government declared a state of emergency.

In a tweeter post, Nasheed said, “On behalf of Maldivian people we humbly request: 1. India to send envoy, backed by its military, to release judges & pol. detainees inc. Prez. Gayoom. We request a physical presence.”

He also asked the US to “stop all financial transactions of Maldives regime leaders going through US banks.”

Maldives police had arrested Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, a judge Ali Hameed and former President Gayoom after President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency for 15 days.

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The Indian Ocean state is in turmoil since last week after President Yameen refused to accept a Supreme Court order to release a group of opposition politicians.

The Court had also ruled that ex-President Mohamed Nasheed’s 2015 trial was unconstitutional.

The police commissioner of the Island nation, who said he would enforce Apex Court’s ruling, was sacked by the Yameen government.

This was not the first time Yameen has declared a state of emergency. Earlier in November 2015, he took the “undemocratic” move after an alleged attempt to assassinate him.

So far, India has not responded to Nasheed’s request but released a travel advisory asking its citizens to avoid all non-essential travels to the Indian Ocean nation until further notice.