The Maldives has lifted a state of emergency that was declared last week due to a "threat to national security," a move that brought widespread international criticism.
The state of emergency was imposed last Wednesday by President Abdulla Yameen, following a September blast on his speedboat and the subsequent recovery of an explosive device that was defused near his official residence. No one claimed responsibility for planting the bomb.
“With the lifting of the state of emergency, all fundamental rights that were suspended have been restored,” a Foreign Ministry statement said Tuesday. Officials say investigations into the speedboat blast and discovery of the bomb were making progress.
The measure, originally set to be in effect for 30 days, gave security forces wide-ranging search and arrest powers and suspended citizens' basic rights. The United States and rights group Amnesty International sharply criticized the measure.
Last week, the Maldives parliament voted to impeach Vice President Ahmed Adeeb on suspicion he was linked to the September explosion on the speedboat President Yameen was not hurt, but the blast injured his wife and two other people.
