MALE, Maldives—The president of the Maldives on Tuesday revoked a state of emergency after less than a week, following widespread international condemnation and concerns about its impact on the country’s crucial tourism industry, the government said.
President Yameen Abdul Gayoom declared the state of emergency last Wednesday, citing a security threat following a September blast on his speedboat and the subsequent recovery of weapons and a homemade bomb near his official residence.
The declaration was widely condemned for suspending basic citizens’ rights and giving the military and police power to search and arrest almost at will.
Under the emergency regulations, police were allowed to enter and search homes without a warrant, and the rights to assemble peacefully and travel between the many islands of the archipelago nation were suspended.
Lawmakers voted Vice President Ahmed Adeeb out of office using the regulations. Authorities suspect that Adeeb was behind the alleged attempts on Gayoom’s life, and he has been arrested and detained.
Gayoom was not hurt in the Sept. 28 blast aboard his boat, but his wife, an aide and a bodyguard were injured.
