Maldives military and police must back will of the people, says Nasheed
The former president also said he was talking to the military’s top brass.
21 Sep 2018, 9:00 AM
Omkar Khandekar
The Maldives police and military must “back the will of the people” if there are attempts to subvert or manipulate the election results, former president Mohamed Nasheed said Friday.
He told a news conference he was talking to the top brass in the Maldives National Defence Force and believed there would be a split in the ranks if President Abdulla Yameen tried to maintain his rule illegally.
Yameen is seeking a second term in office. His government is accused of human rights abuses, a crackdown on the opposition and restrictions on free speech. The European Union has threatened sanctions and the US could follow suit.
Police and military presence has increased in the capital ahead of the vote. A Maldives Independent reporter on Friday saw trucks full of police in riot gear, with other security vehicles patrolling the streets.
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