Maldives President Abdulla Yameen has declared a state of emergency in the country on Wednesday, giving security forces the right to arrest people who are suspected of conspiring against the government. The declaration comes after an alleged plan to assassinate the president and the discovery of a bomb near Yameen's official residence, reports MSN News.
The declaration was enacted at noon local time (7 a.m. GMT), and suspends a number of basic rights. With the state of emergency in effect, seven articles of the Maldives constitution are restricted, including the rights of assembly, freedom of expression, freedom from arbitrary detention and freedom of movement.
In a statement to the nation, Yameen stated that the declaration was made in response to "some groups are planning to use dangerous weapons and explosives."
"My beloved citizens, I assure you, that in enforcing this decree, the rights and freedoms stated in the constitution will only be restricted within the limits of the constitution, and only to the extent strictly required by the situation," he said, according to The Guardian.
Despite the severe restrictions, the state of emergency is limited to a duration of only 30 days. It did, however, come days before a major anti-government protest rally planned for later this week.
The Maldives has been hit with political instability for a number of years, though the recent months have been especially turbulent.
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