COLOMBO, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government on Saturday called on all parties in the Maldives to uphold the rule of law and find a peaceful solution to the ongoing political crisis.
"Sri Lanka is observing the evolving situation in the Maldives. We urge all parties to uphold the rule of law and the constitution, and find a peaceful solution to the current situation," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Clashes have been reported in the Maldives between police and protesters since Friday as supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed took to the streets celebrating a ruling by the Supreme Court to release him along with other opposition leaders.
The Maldivian Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of all high-profile prisoners, including former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.
The court said in a brief statement that the prisoners must be freed until fair trials can be conducted without undue influence.
Nasheed, who was elected as the president of the country in 2008, was ousted in February 2012.
He was sentenced to 13 years in jail in 2015 on terrorism charges after allegedly ordering the arrest of a judge during his presidency.