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A MALDIVES court ordered that three opposition leaders and 172 of their supporters be held in custody on Saturday.
The 175 had been arrested during a Friday protest demanding that President Yameen Abdul Gayoom stand down and that his government free jailed ex-president Mohamed Nasheed.
The court ordered the detention of Sheik Imran, leader of the Islamic conservative Adhaalath (Justice) Party, Ali Waheed, chairman of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party and Ameen Ibrahim, deputy leader of the Jumhooree (Republican) Party.
It ordered that the three, along with the other protesters, be detained for 15 days, accusing them of inciting and engaging in violence against the state.
Thousands of people had marched in the capital Male on Friday, bursting through a police cordon protecting the military headquarters.
Police fired tear gas and arrested hundreds of protesters.
However, Mr Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party insisted police had charged without provocation.
