Parliament in the Maldives on Tuesday approved a 30-day extension of a state of emergency sought by President Abdulla Yameen who cited an ongoing national security threat and constitutional crisis, Reuters reports.
Countries including the United States, India and Canada along with the United Nations have urged Yameen to lift the emergency and restore normalcy.
The emergency "shall only apply to those alleged to have carried out illegal activities – it shall not apply to otherwise law abiding residents of, or visitors to, the Maldives," a statement from Yameen’s office said on Tuesday.