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Maldivian Police Arrest Former President


FILE - Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed, who was ousted as president in 2012, center, casts his vote at a polling station during the presidential elections in Male, Nov. 9, 2013.
FILE - Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed, who was ousted as president in 2012, center, casts his vote at a polling station during the presidential elections in Male, Nov. 9, 2013.

Police in the Maldives have arrested former President Mohamed Nasheed, accusing him of illegally detaining a senior judge more than three years ago when he was in power.

Nasheed was arrested at his home Sunday in Male, the capital of the Indian Sea archipelago.

As he was being arrested, hundreds of his supporters clashed with police, who fired tear gas at them to keep them at bay.

Nasheed lost a controversial 2013 election to current President Abdulla Yameen.

The arrest warrant for Nasheed described him as a risk to flee the country.

Last week, a prosecutor dropped charges of abuse of power against him for allegedly ordering the arrest in early 2012 of one-time chief criminal court judge Abdulla Mohamed, who was accused of corruption. But a new charge involving the same incident was filed Sunday under tougher anti-terrorism laws.

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