Political Situation in the Maldives

 

• Nick Herbert (Arundel and South Downs) (Con)

  My right hon. Friend is making a powerful case.  Does he agree that a situation under the guise of a state of emergency in which judges are arrested, the normal business of courts is suspended, Members of Parliament are arrested and Parliament too is suspended, makes a mockery of any notion of democracy, and furthermore, constitutes an affront to human rights?
  Should not Members on both sides of the House of Commons condemn that action in the strongest possible terms?
  
   

• Sir Hugo Swire

  My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Unfortunately, there can be no pretence that democracy is alive in the Maldives at the moment.
  
  
  You may be interested to read the full Hansard report of the debate here, or to watch a video recording of here  (the debate starts from 19:00 exactly, and Nick's intervention from 19:10:30).