Maldives' united opposition early Tuesday urged the military and police not to support a dictatorship after embattled embattled president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayom had declared a state of emergency in the Indian Ocean archipelago amid a standoff with the country's Supreme Court.
The island nation has plunged into fresh political turmoil after the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of jailed political leaders including self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed.
More than four days after the Supreme court ordered the immediate release of as many as nine political prisoners, government has thus far refused to comply.
The state of emergency was declared after president Yameen's last ditch attempt to convince the top court to revoke the order failed after the apex court rejected the government's 'legal and judicial' concerns over the order.
President Yameen has declared emergency state for 15 days and suspended as many as 20 constitutional rights for the duration along with the criminal procedure Act and several articles of the judicature Act.
The constitutional rights suspended president Yameen has effectively quashed any moves by the opposition to impeach him while also stripping the Supreme Court of any authority.
The judicature Act articles suspended by the president further constricts the powers of the top court and its jurisdiction to overrule the High Court.
South-Galolhu MP Ahmed Mahloof reminded the security forces that its foremost duty was to uphold the constitution, rule of law and protect the people. The outspoken lawmaker reiterated that the declaration of the state of emergency was unlawful and president Yameen had abused his authority to seize control of the parliament and the judiciary.
"I call on the soldiers and officers to stop supporting a dictator. I call on their families and friends to warn them. Beg them. Tell them that what they are doing now is going to catch up to them. They will be held accountable," Mahloof stressed.
In addition to Nasheed, the other top political leaders named in the order included Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla, former defence minister Mohamed Nazim, former vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor and Gayoom's lawmaker son Faris Maumoon.
The others named in the order included former prosecutor general Muhthaz Muhsin, magistrate Ahmed Nihan and Adheeb's brother in law Hamid Ismail.
The court had also annulled its anti-defection ruling and ordered the country's electoral watchdog to re-instate the dozen government lawmakers disqualified over the ruling. The Supreme Court said the anti-defection ruling was issued as a temporary solution to the constitutional dispute case filed by the state but insisted that the relevant authorities have failed to bring to effect an anti-defection law specified in the ruling.
The reinstatement of the 12 lawmakers disqualified by the country's elections commission would mean that the united opposition would now have parliament majority which has the power to impeach the president.
