Maldives President Abdulla Yameen has declared a state of emergency as the government continues to defy an order from the Supreme Court, throwing the island nation further into crisis.
A brief statement from the presidential office said a 15-day state of emergency had been declared. “During this time, though certain rights will be restricted,” it said, adding that general movements, services and businesses will not be affected.
It was not immediately clear which rights would be restricted as a result of the emergency. Under the constitution, the government is not permitted to restrict certain rights and freedoms, such as freedom of speech, press freedom, and certain legal rights.
Minutes after the state of emergency was declared, the Indian government issued a travel advisory for the Maldives. It said Indian nationals are advised to defer all non-essential travel to the country until further notice, calling the situation in the Maldives a “matter of concern.”
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