Arab Spring ousted a dictator to welcome democracy. Maldives ousted an elected President to welcome a dictator. Mohamed Nasheed, a civil rights activist, journalist, environmentalist and ousted President, was the first democratically elected President of Maldives. He led the civil movement for over 20 years that finally led President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, its iron-fisted ruler to step down. For Nasheed, the journey didn't end there. He sought to bring Gayoom to justice for all the human rights violations under his watch. In his own words: "The judiciary was handpicked by the former president, which was now hiding behind a democratic constitution. These powerful judges provided protection for the former president, his family members and political allies, many of whom are accused of corruption, embezzlement and human rights crimes. At the same time, new laws guaranteeing freedom of speech were abused by a new force in Maldivian politics: Islamic extremists. In response to these issues, my government asked the United Nations to help us investigate judicial abuses and ordered the arrest of Abdulla Mohamed, the chief judge of the criminal court, on charges of protecting the former president and corrupting the judicial system. However, in a dramatic turn of events on Tuesday, the former president’s supporters protested in the streets, and police officers and army personnel loyal to the old government mutinied and forced me, at gunpoint, to resign. To avoid bloodshed, I did so. I believe this to be a coup d’état and suspect that my vice president, who has since been sworn into office, helped to plan it. Choosing to stand up to the judge was a controversial decision, but I feel I had no choice but to do what I did — to have taken no action, and passively watched the country’s democracy strangled, would have been the greatest injustice of all." If you as Indian stand for democracy, please sign this petition to pressure government to take action in Maldives. Follow us at @IForDemocracy, @SupportMaldives on Twitter and Facebook!

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