The president of the Maldives has revoked a state of emergency after less than a week, following widespread international condemnation and concerns about its impact on the country's tourism industry.
President Yameen Abdul Gayoom declared the state of emergency last Wednesday, citing a security threat following a blast on his speedboat in September and the subsequent recovery of weapons and a home-made bomb near his official residence.
The declaration was widely condemned for suspending basic citizens' rights and giving the military and police power to search and arrest almost at will.
Under the emergency regulations, police were allowed to enter and search homes without a warrant, and the rights to assemble peacefully and travel between the many islands of the archipelago nation were suspended.
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