Maldives ex-president arrested

Mohamed Nasheed, who resigned in February in what he said was a coup, is accused of illegally arresting a judge.

A court issued the warrant for his arrest after he failed for a second time to turn up to his trial.

The former human rights activist, who won the archipelago nation's first democratic elections in 2008, denies the charges against him.

He says the trial is politically motivated.

A conviction could disqualify him from contesting future presidential polls.

"Nasheed has been placed [under] custody now according to the court order issued yesterday," police spokesman Hassan Haneef told Reuters on Monday.

He added that Mr Nasheed co-operated with the arrest and would be taken to Male where he is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

However, a spokesman for Mr Nasheed's party, Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, tweeted that the Maldivian Democratic Party leader had been "grabbed from protesting supporters" before being arrested and "taken away" from the southern atoll of Fares-Mathoda.

- BBC