There is no reason to declare a state of emergency, says President

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that there is no reason to declare a state of emergency across the Maldives.

In the press conference held in the President’s Office on Wednesday, President Solih stated that this is not the time to announce a state of emergency and confirmed that most members of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)'s National Congress stood by this decision as well.

President Solih affirmed that although the motion was approved by 39 members of MDP's National Congress, there are a total of 142 members in the congress. He then stated that most members did not show up to the voting because they did not wish to move into a state of emergency nor disregard the statements made my Speaker and Former President, Mohamed Nasheed.

Although a state of emergency will not be announced, President Solih assured that all those behind religious extremism would be found and punished and stated that the police are already investigating the matter.

Declaring a state of emergency in order to give the police an opportunity in order to catch religious extremists is a motion that was passed by MDP's National Congress. This motion was introduced in the 180th meeting of the congress by Nasheed and was passed with the majority votes of 39 being in favor of the motion, out of 43 who took part in voting.

While presenting the motion, Nasheed stated that the appeal was formed to take necessary steps, considering the information shared by the Police Commissioner Mohamed Hameed and the Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem on 24th July 2021. Nasheed also stated that he is making this announcement on behalf of the majority of MDP who strongly believe that the country must move into a state of emergency, to determine the extent of threat of religious extremism and to allow security services to capture terrorists.

Nasheed further stated that this was not an attempt to overpower President Solih.

Article 253 of the Maldives Constitution provides the country’s president with the power to declare a state of emergency in the event of a national security threat in all or part of the country for a period not exceeding thirty days.

The Maldives has gone into a state of emergency on multiple occasions, with the last one announced by former President Abdulla Yameen back in February 2018 following a Supreme Court order to release political detainees. It was lifted after 45 days.

Police had confirmed that the attack was carried out by ISIS ideologists that believed that Nasheed was an infidel and should be assassinated. 10 people from this terrorist cell were taken into custody in relation to the May 6 attack, including one believed to be a leader. One of the suspects were released by after the PG decided that there was insufficient evidence.