Ex-president Yameen lambasts government at opposition rally

Yameen heavily criticised impeached Supreme Court justices over the apex court’s February 1, 2018 order for the release of jailed politicians, repeating allegations of bribery and coup plots.

“I said then it was a coup. I will say tonight, that eclipse coup was truly the beginning of the end for today’s judiciary, it started on February 1 last year,” he said at the well-attended rally at the carnival area in Malé, calling the former judges “the biggest traitors” and defending his decision not to enforce the order.

Yameen reacted to the shock ruling by declaring a state of emergency and arresting chief justice Abdulla Saeed and justice Ali Hameed, after which the three remaining justices rescinded the full bench order. None of the five justices who signed the order are now on the bench.