Maldives extends state of emergency

MALE, Maldives: Maldives President Abdulla Yameen extended a draconian state of emergency by another month on Tuesday, ignoring a growing chorus of international concern and calls for democracy to be restored in the honeymoon islands.

Yameen declared a 15-day state of emergency earlier this month, curtailing the powers of the judiciary and the legislature after the country’s Supreme Court ruled to quash criminal convictions against high profile opposition politicians. The Maldives’ highest court has since revoked its order after two top judges were arrested, seemingly giving Yameen the upper hand in a bitter power struggle.

Despite criticism from the international community, legislators from the president’s party on Tuesday controversially approved to extend emergency rule by a further 30 days. There was no immediate comment from the government but Yameen’s office said Monday the extension was warranted as the threat to national security had "not diminished."

It also said the constitutional crisis in the archipelago had not been resolved since the court’s decision on February 1. Yameen currently has a majority in the 85-member parliament, restored on Sunday after the depleted top court also U-turned on its order for 12 pro-opposition MPs -- previously sacked for defecting from Yameen’s party -- to be reinstated.