Maldives President Abdulla Yameen on Monday declared a state of emergency for 15 days and cracked down on opposition leaders and Supreme Court judges. Security forces broke into the Supreme Court to arrest two Supreme Court judges, including the Chief Justice, early on Tuesday.
Under the terms of emergency, judges are no longer granted special privileges if they are facing arrest. The emergency decree gives the government sweeping powers to make arrests, search and seize property and restricts freedom of assembly, right to strike and right to privacy.
"Certain rights will be restricted (but) general movements, services and businesses will not be affected," the president's office said in a statement about the emergency.
Soon after the declaration, security forces stormed into the Supreme Court building to arrest Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and judge Ali Hamid. Former Maldives president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has also been arrested.
Yameen had earlier defied a Supreme Court ruling that nine jailed opposition leaders must be released.
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