The government of the Maldives, an archipelago of picturesque islands off the southern tip of India, has been in turmoil in recent weeks.
In late October, state-run TV reported that Vice President Ahmed Adeeb had been arrested and charged with treason in connection with an alleged assassination attempt on President Abdulla Yameen.
The incident in question was a blast aboard a speedboat carrying Yameen and his entourage on September 28. The president emerged unscathed from the explosion, but his wife and two others were wounded.
On Monday, security forces defused an explosive device -- a stick of dynamite attached to a remote detonator -- that had been planted in a vehicle parked near Yameen`s official residence in Male, the capital, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
This is the latest round of political unrest in the Maldives.
In 2012, former President Mohamed Nasheed, the country`s first democratically elected leader, was ousted amid opposition protests.
A court sentenced Nasheed to 13 years in prison on terrorism charges in March. The U.N. Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, said the proceedings against Nasheed lacked "respect for the most basic principles of fair trial and due process."
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