US disappointment over extension of emergency in Maldives

The?United States?(US) has expressed disappointment over the extension of the State of?Emergency?in the Maldives and by?President?Abdulla?Yameen?for an additional 30?days.

“The?United States?(US) is disappointed by reports that Maldivian?President?Yameen?has extended the state of emergency in that?country?for an additional 30?days,” the US?State Department?issued a?statement?on Tuesday.

“The?United States?continues to call on?President?Yameen?to end the state of emergency, uphold the rule of law, permit the full and proper functioning of the?Parliament?and the judiciary, restore constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people of Maldives, and respect Maldives’ international human rights obligations and commitments,” the?statement?added.

On Tuesday, the Maldivian?Parliament?approved the extension of the State of?Emergencyby 30?days, a day after?President?Abdulla?Yameen?sought the extension citing threat to?national security?and the constitutional crisis in the?country.

The?opposition?leaders boycotted the saying and called the extension illegal and unconstitutional.

On Monday, the?Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Security had voted to extend the State of?Emergency?by 30?days?easing constitutional restrictions, the official release said.

The Maldives is facing political unrest since?President?Yameen?imposed emergency after refusing to implement a Supreme Court order of freeing imprisoned?oppositionleaders.

On February 2, the Maldivian Supreme Court acquitted former Maldivian?PresidentMohamed Nasheed, former Maldivian Vice?President?Ahmed Adeeb and ordered the reinstatement?of 12 other parliamentary members.

The political unrest in the?country?deepened further when the police used force to crack down on the Maldivian?opposition?leaders, who continued to hold anti-government protests. (ANI)