Britain hits out at Maldives crackdown

Britain has criticised a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Maldives, but the island country’s government justified the action by saying the demonstrators were trying to topple president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s regime.

“We are concerned by reports of attacks by the police on peaceful protesters in Male (the capital) last Friday, the subsequent declaration of a state of emergency, and large numbers of arrests, including of members of the Special Majlis,” the British Foreign Office said in a statement.