MALE: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling on the Maldives government to respect the Supreme Court ruling ordering the release of political prisoners and the reinstatement of 12 lawmakers.

Hundreds of opposition supporters have been demanding the prisoners’ freedom outside the penitentiary in the capital Male for the second day on Saturday but police forced them to leave. They then moved to another location for a sit-in that was also broken up.

The Indian Ocean island-nation’s attorney general raised government concerns about the ruling with the chief justice because he says the imprisoned politicians were convicted of offenses including terrorism, corruption, embezzlement and treason. The Supreme Court says the convictions were politically influenced.

President Yameen Abdul Gayoom has been set to run for re-election this year virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled.

Associated Press