Amid political crisis, Maldives military throws MPs out of parliament

MALE: Amid a political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation, the military personnel on Wednesday threw all the Members of Parliament (MPs) out of the Parliament building premises.

This comes a day after the military personnel blocked the MPs from entering the Parliament.

Maldives: The military personnel in Male threw all Members of Parliament (MPs) out of the Parliament building premises earlier today. pic.twitter.com/Z4NP7rtyoK — ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2018

Massive protests had erupted after President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom refused to follow the Supreme Court's ruling to release the key political prisoners and reinstate the 12 MPs.

A state of emergency was also declared in Maldives for a period of 15 days.

Earlier this month, the Maldivian Supreme Court had acquitted former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and ordered the reinstatement of the 12 other parliamentary members.

The Supreme Court had ruled that all politicians opposed to President Gayoom, including Nasheed, should be released. It had further said that their trials were "politically influenced".

The high-profile prisoners also include self-exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.

The government has so far refused to implement the order, saying it had concerns about releasing those who were convicted for "terrorism, graft, embezzlement and treason".

Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, took office in 2008. He was ousted in a coup in February 2012.

The country has seen political unrest since he was sentenced to 13 years in jail in 2015 on terrorism charges. He was given political asylum in the UK in 2016.