The new authorities in the Maldives must avoid persecuting members of outgoing president Mohammed Nasheed’s political party, Amnesty International said today, after Mr Nasheed resigned following a police mutiny in the country.

The former leader said in a televised statement on Tuesday that he was resigning “to prevent violence”, after a group of police officers joined opposition-led protests and took control of the state broadcaster in the capital Male.

At least three senior members of the ex-president’s Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) were reportedly detained after being beaten by police and opposition supporters on Monday night.

Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific director, said: “The events of the last days follow weeks of political paralysis and a breakdown of accountability and the rule of law.

“The new government must ensure that it will protect the rights of all Maldivians equally, without regard to their political affiliation.

“The authorities should also launch an independent and impartial investigation into the attacks on three MDP members yesterday.

“Mohammed Nasheed’s exact whereabouts must be clarified immediately.”

There are conflicting reports on Mr Nasheed’s current whereabouts. The outgoing president was reportedly being held against his will by security forces at the presidential palace earlier today, but has now been released, according to some media reports.

A Maldives opposition leader has told AFP he asked the military to detain Mr Nasheed so he could face charges of corruption and misuse of power.

The MDP says the resignation of Mr Nasheed is a “coup d’etat” orchestrated by “rogue elements” from the Maldives police service aided by supporters of former President Mamoon Abdul Gayoom.

Mr Nasheed’s former ally and vice-president Waheed Hassan was sworn as president on Tuesday afternoon.

MDP members Mariya Didi, Eva Abdulla and Alham Fahmy sustained serious injuries after being attacked by police and opposition supporters on Monday and were taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Protests began last month after Mr Nasheed ordered the military to arrest top criminal court judge Abdulla Mohamed on charges of corruption and political bias. Abdulla Mohamed is said to be close to former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Government said the judiciary was unwilling to allow investigation of judicial misconduct against Abdulla Mohamed.

Mohamed Nasheed was elected president in the Maldives’ first multi-party elections in October 2008, ending the 30-year rule of authoritarian leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.