Trouble in paradise: Is it safe to visit the Maldives, the idyllic country with a dark side?

A state of emergency has been declared in the holiday paradise of the Maldives, giving security forces sweeping powers to arrest suspected opposition members, prohibit public gatherings and impose travel restrictions.

The Foreign Office (FCO) joined the governments of the US, China and India, in issuing a warning to tourists to “exercise caution and avoid any protests or rallies” in response to a deepening political crisis. The FCO said it believed that outlying islands, which house the majority of the luxury resorts for which the nation is famed, as well as Male International Airport, are unaffected.

The introduction of the state of emergency followed president Abdulla Yameen’s order for military police to storm the Supreme Court after a decision by judges that some of his political opponents should have their criminal convictions overturned and be freed from jail. President Yameen had refused to release the prisoners, instead ordering the arrest of a former president and two justices of the Supreme Court.

Problems have been brewing in the nation’s small but densely populated capital, Male, where Yameen, who came to power in 2013, has been facing mounting pressure to release another former president, Mohamed Nasheed, from a 13-year jail sentence.

Opposition members of parliament have called on the international community for help amid concerns over “police violence… and the increased militarisation of the country”. A resolution signed by 37 MPs warned that the situation could escalate to “civil unrest”.

What does the state of emergency mean?

“The President has been compelled to declare a state of emergency due to the risk currently posed to national security,” said a statement from the president’s office. “Implementation of the Supreme Court ruling is - in its current form - incompatible with maintenance of public safety.”

The state of emergency, expected to last 15 days, has suspended certain rights otherwise protected by the Maldives constitution, including the right to remain silent and to be brought before a judge within 24 hours of detention. 

Despite a number of arrests, including former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his son-in-law, the government has said that foreigners are safe.

Will it affect tourists?

The FCO has warned tourists to avoid rallies or protests in the capital Male but said that outlying islands and the main international airport are safe. Some 100,000 British nationals visit the 26-atoll archipelago, known for its remote villas on stilts, turquoise waters and white sand beaches, every year, making the UK the third biggest market for the country. Costs to stay in some of its exclusive resorts - many on private islands - are astronomical, including the £36,000 per night Four Seasons Voavah. 

In addition to the new update to its travel advice, the FCO says: “Political protests and demonstrations often take place in Male. Some have led to violence and arrests.” It adds, however, that most visits to the Maldives are trouble free and that the most common problems are lost and stolen passports, and swimming and diving accidents.

A spokesperson for luxury tour operator Kuoni said it was monitoring the situation closely but that all resorts continue to operate as normal and people are continuing with their holidays. They added: “All our guests fly into the airport, located on a separate island, and are transferred directly to their resorts via seaplane or boat, and there is no impact on holiday resorts, or the airports, with flights operating as normal.”

The spokesperson added that very few guests tend to travel to Male, excluding its airport. 

A spokesperson for another operator, Abercrombie & Kent, said it had been assured that tourists would not be affected, adding: “If guests do have questions or concerns we’re happy to discuss their holiday with them to ensure peace of mind.”

Ahmed Shiaan, ambassador of the Maldives to the UK, said the Maldives remains stable. "Tourists shall not be impacted by the events taking place in the capital," he said. "All resorts throughout the nation’s atolls remain unaffected by the political impasse. Flights, hotels and other companies in the tourism sector will continue to operate as usual. The Maldives Government puts a premium on tourism safety. This will not change in the coming days."

Is there a terror threat?

In September last year, the FCO updated its terror guidance on the Maldives, warning that an attack was “very likely”.

“Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers including tourists,” it said.

But the Maldives government suggested the updated guidance was a general response to a global threat.

In November, two people said to be associated with the Islamic State were charged with planning a bomb attack in Male.

In response to a similar travel advisory issued by the US State Department last month regarding the prospect of a terror attack on the Maldives, the government claimed there was no such threat. Tourism minister Moosa Zameer said: “We will continue to take all possible measures to ensure the security and safety of tourists following this advisory. So far we do not have any reports of a threat to the Maldives. There is no danger to tourists.”

Can I cancel my holiday?

If you want to cancel your trip it is unlikely you will be entitled to a refund unless the FCO advises against travelling to the Maldives or flying to Male. Contact your tour operator, accommodation provider or your insurer to discuss your options.

Kuoni, for example, said its cancellation policy remains as usual.

Is this the first time the Maldives has declared a state of emergency?

No. In 2015, the government increased security in and around Male after reports of a bomb plot against the president. At the time, the government said: “The security of our resorts and islands is not under threat and we have received no evidence to suggest otherwise.”

President Yameen said at the time: “The security forces believe some weapons and ammunitions are still missing, and that security forces have information that some individuals are planning to use these weapons and ammunition, which poses a serious threat to the people and to national security.”

Why do some tourists want to boycott the Maldives?

The island nation does not have a glowing human rights record.

In April 2015, the Ethical Maldives Alliance asked tourist to consider ethical issues when choosing where and how to spend money in the Maldives following reports of human rights abuses. It drew up a list of resorts that it said may be directly or indirectly linked to “political oppression and human rights abuses”.

It said: “Most tourists to the islands remain blissfully unaware of the realities of life for the local population. Money from tourism provides the bulwark of support to a government with a known record of intimidation and oppression."

But Telegraph Travel’s Maldives expert, Adrian Neville, said the group’s claims were unsubstantiated and lacked evidence.

Later in 2015, following the March conviction of former president Mohamed Nasheed on terrorism charges, an issue at the centre of this month’s situation, there were calls for tourists to boycott the island.

In a curious legal tangle between the Maldives government and former president Nasheed, Amal Clooney, barrister and wife of actor George Clooney, went head to head with Cherie Booth QC, wife of Tony Blair and founder of Omnia Strategy, a firm advising the Maldives government. The UN said that Nasheed “did not receive a fair trial”.

Asked whether tourists should boycott the country, Clooney said: “If we get to a situation where nothing is working and the government keeps dragging its heels, it’s something we wouldn’t exclude.”

Another boycott was called in 2013 after a 15-year-old rape victim was sentence to 100 lashes for premarital sex. The girl, from the island of Feydhoo, reportedly confessed to police investigating accusations that she had been raped by her stepfather and abused by other local men. A petition signed by two million people called on visitors to reject the country until it reformed its judicial system.

Last July, Sir Richard Branson warned that he might pull the Virgin brand from the island nation after three young men were sentenced to death for murder after “seriously unfair” trials, according to human rights group Reprieve.

“I care about where my money is spent and how I conduct my business. President Yameen can still back away from the damaging path he has chosen for his country. If not, I hope the international community – governments and businesses alike – will react accordingly,” Branson wrote.

The three men remain on death row.

In October 2015, the death sentence was annulled for a woman found guilty of adultery. She had been sentenced to be executed by stoning in accordance with Islamic law.

Has the country's dark side affected tourism?

Seemingly not. The island nation has seen steady growth in arrivals. In 2017, it welcomed 1.34 million international arrivals, up from around 800,000 in 2010, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. Good news for the Maldives, since it is second in the league table for destinations that rely most on tourism, behind only Macau. According to data from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the Maldives earns 41.5 per cent of its GDP from tourism.

However, according to the Maldives Independent, the political situation is impacting the industry, with businesses complaining about the lack of government support and busy reassuring anxious holidaymakers about their safety.

Others were more resigned. “I don’t think the recent (political) developments change anything,” one hotel owner in the capital told the news site. “This country has been unstable for a while now. I don’t think politics here shocks or surprises the world anymore. We’re not good people, we are sort of famous as a beautiful landscape with inhumane people.”