COLOMBO: The Indian Ocean state of the Maldives has eased some provisions of a state of emergency imposed after a pro-democracy uprising and allowed the International Red Cross access to political prisoners.

The Maldivian government said in a statement sent here Friday (Oct 8) that President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom "reinstated a number of rights and laws that had been suspended since the declaration of a state of emergency" on August 14.

However, the state of emergency remained in force in Male, the capital island of Asia's most expensive resort, and a few neighbouring islands.

The government initially said it detained 185 people after the uprising, but last month said only 78 people remained in custody, including seven parliamentarians.

It was not immediately known how many remained in custody.

Under the relaxation of the emergency provisions, detainees held for more than 24 hours must be given reasons for their incarceration and are entitled to legal counsel.

Rights of alleged juvenile offenders had also been restored, the statement said without elaborating. Pro-democracy activists accused authorities of detaining youngsters suspected of taking part in mass protests against Gayoom, Asia's longest serving leader.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said meanwhile the Maldivian government has allowed it access to people detained under emergency rule in the atoll nation of 320,000 Sunni Muslims.

"The ICRC will begin visiting detainees shortly," it said in a statement issued in Geneva.

"The purpose of ICRC visits is to monitor the conditions of detention and treatment of detainees with the aim of ensuring respect for their physical and psychological integrity."

A European parliament resolution last month called on the European Commission and EU states to halt non-humanitarian aid to the Maldives after the crackdown on pro-democracy activists.

Colombo-based envoys from European Union nations had been denied access to Maldivian dissidents although a lower-level fact finding mission was allowed to visit prisons in September.

Members of the European parliament demanded in their resolution that Gayoom, president since 1978, immediately repeal the state of emergency.

The Maldivian government has said it was committed to democratic reforms in the tiny archipelago and hoped to lift emergency rule within weeks.

Courtesy Agence France Presse