On Tuesday 6 February, a few days after the decision of the Supreme Court in the Maldives to release several political prisoners (see EUROPE 11953) and reintegrate 12 parliamentarians who had been removed from their posts for having defected from the presidential party, the EU urged the state of emergency declared in the country on 5 February to be lifted "without delay".
"The declaration of the state of emergency (...) by the president of the Maldives undermines democracy and human rights and further escalates political tensions in the country", the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) stated in a press release.
The spokesperson also said that the decision to arrest two Supreme Court judges, including the Chief Justice, "shows a clear disregard for the independence of the judiciary – fundamental in any democracy – as well as the Court's ruling of 1 February". Following the arrest of the two judges, the Supreme Court announced its decision of 1 February "in light of concerns expressed by the Chief Justice". Furthermore, the arrest of former President Gayoom is an additional blow to the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of the Maldives, the spokesperson said.
According to the EEAS spokesperson, the EU continues to expect the authorities of the Maldives to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court of 1 February and "allow the immediate resumption and normal functioning of the Parliament". The spokesperson again called for inclusive dialogue that engages the leaders of all political parties in order to pave the way for credible, transparent and inclusive elections.
The spokesperson also said that "the immediate return to constitutional normalcy is imperative so as to reduce the current tensions". Thus "in light of the serious deterioration of the situation, it is essential that all in the country, in particular law enforcement authorities, act with restraint", the spokesperson stated, adding that "fundamental rights and freedoms of the population must be preserved, notably the freedom of expression and the right to peaceful demonstration". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)