×
Newsmax TV & Webwww.newsmax.comFREE - In Google Play
VIEW
×
Newsmax TV & Webwww.newsmax.comFREE - On the App Store
VIEW
Tags: AS | Maldives | Prisoners | The Latest

The Latest: Maldives Police Say Detained Judges Were Bribed

The Latest: Maldives Police Say Detained Judges Were Bribed

Wednesday, 07 February 2018 01:38 PM EST

MALE, Maldives (AP) — The Latest on the political crisis in the Maldives after the country's supreme court ordered imprisoned politicians released and the president declared a state of emergency (all times local):

10:50 p.m.

The acting police chief of the Maldives says the country's chief justice and another supreme court judge took bribes in return for issuing a surprise ruling last week ordering the release of imprisoned politicians opposed to President Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Abdulla Nawaz said Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed received millions of dollars and that police "have proof of these transactions."

They have been arrested along with former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom amid a state of emergency declared by Yameen.

Nawaz late Wednesday also accused Gayoom of bribing lawmakers "to oust the government and also creating dissent within armed forces to rebel against the government."

The Maldives is an archipelago of more than 1,000 islands with fewer than 400,000 citizens, more than one-third of them living in the crowded capital city, Male. Tourism now dominates the economy, with wealthy foreigners flown to hyper-expensive resort islands.

9 p.m.

The U.N. human rights chief has called the declaration of a state of emergency in the Maldives and the resulting suspension of constitutional guarantees an "all-out assault on democracy."

Political turmoil has swept the Maldives since a surprise court ruling last week that ordered the release of jailed opposition leaders, including many of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom's main political rivals. He imposed a state of emergency on Monday.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said the restrictions "create a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of the president."

Zeid's criticism came a day after three Maldives Supreme Court justices annulled their earlier order to free the imprisoned opposition politicians after two of the court's justices were arrested.

The annulment came after Yameen declared the state of emergency, which gives officials sweeping powers to make arrests, search and seize property and restrict freedom of assembly.

© Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


GlobalTalk
The Latest on the political crisis in the Maldives after the country's supreme court ordered imprisoned politicians released and the president declared a state of emergency (all times local):10:50 p.m.The acting police chief of the Maldives says the country's chief justice...
AS,Maldives,Prisoners,The Latest
331
2018-38-07
Wednesday, 07 February 2018 01:38 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
 
TOP

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved