President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Wednesday night claimed the country's Supreme Court attempted to incite violent break-outs in multiple occasions through their initial attempt; February 1 ruling.
The Maldives top court Thursday, February 1 shocked the island nation with its sudden order to release as many as nine political dissidents including the self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed who is serving a 13 year jail sentence on terrorism charges.
In addition to the order to release nine political prisoners, Supreme Court had annulled the anti-defection law thereby reinstating a dozen lawmakers who defected to the opposition following the no-confidence motion of parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh.
Opposition was immediate about celebrating their sudden gain of parliament majority.
After a series of head-on challenges from both ends, with president Yameen demanding amendments to top-court order of prisoner release and top-court's stiff refusal to comply to the terms ended in heavy repercussions.
President Abdulla Yameen on Monday, February 5 declared a state of emergency stretching for 15-days suspending more than 20 constitutional and several judicature rights including the Criminal Procedure Act.
Immediately after the presidential decree of emergency, the top-court premises was barged in by local military who then proceeded to apprehend both Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and judge Ali Hameed.
Both Chief Justice Saeed and top-court judge Hameed are prosecuted with charges of accepting bribe and attempting to overthrow the government.
President Abdulla Yameen on Wednesday night said if his administration proceeded in implementing the top court order of releasing the political dissidents, it could have resulted in a violent face-off between both party sentimentalists.
"I am certain my supporters won't stay silent if we had moved forward and released all those criminals. They would have people coming out to the streets and so would we. Where does that end? It would have ended with violence and riots. It could have eventually led to bloodshed and gruesome endings," president Yameen said at prominent PPM camp 'Rumaalu-2' on Wednesday night.
President added the top-court then moved towards influencing people in authority related to the issue, eventually scheming to the attempted impeachment of president Yameen.
"The people of Maldives would not have accepted an unconstitutional impeachment of their president and they would have definitely taken the protest to the streets which in turn would have had grotesque end-results," he added.
Supreme Court's third prime move that would have led to violence according to the head of state was the plan to depose Attorney General Mohamed Anil. President Yameen asserted this was a grossly inhuman and unlawful act which would have ended in "people coming out to the streets for violence once again."
A fourth event which would have let to violent protests according president Yameen was when Maldives top-court attempted to reinstate the terminated police commissioner Ahmed Areef back to his post.
President Yameen asserted all these attempts were foiled due to the integrity and loyalty showed by military and police - who pledged undeterred allegiance to the president's commands.
Maldives head of state concluded his speech on Wednesday night stating the Supreme Court must be held accountable for their action and should be condemned for their biased and destructive attempt to incite unrest and violence.
