11 October 2004	Monday	25 Shaban 1425

MALE, Oct 10: Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Sunday lifted a state of emergency he clamped on the Indian Ocean atoll nation two months ago to crush pro-democracy protests.

Government spokesman Ahmed Shaheed said in a statement here that Gayoom, Asia's longest serving leader, lifted the emergency and that an unspecified number of people still in detention should soon be charged or released.

The emergency giving wide powers to Gayoom was declared on August 13 after thousands of residents staged a demonstration in the capital island Male seeking democratic reforms the president himself had promised.

"In line with the normal provisions contained within the criminal justice system, all those people currently in detention will either face charges or will be released shortly," the statement said.

"It is expected that charges against some of them will range from the attempted murder of two police constables to serious 'offences against the State'." Gayoom's action came amid intense international condemnation of his tough action against pro-democracy activists and a European Union resolution seeking an aid embargo on Asia's most expensive tourist destination.

Two days ago, Gayoom eased some of the provisions of the state of emergency allowing legal counsel for detainees. With the repealing of the emergency, the Maldivian authorities cannot hold suspects in custody for longer than a week without approval from a judge, the government statement said.

It said the blanket approval to the authorities to tap telephones, intercept mail and other communications has been revoked with the lifting of emergency laws. The dissident Maldivian Democratic Party, based in Sri Lanka, said Gayoom's moves were aimed at deflecting mounting foreign opinion against him.

"What is the point in allowing legal representation for detainees when the country's two top human rights lawyers are already behind bars," party spokesman Mohamed Latheef said here.

"Even the other lawyers who are not in custody are afraid to defend pro-democracy activists for fear they will also be jailed for siding with us." The Maldivian government initially said it detained 185 people after the August protests but last month said only 78 people remained in custody, including seven parliamentarians. -AFP