UN says Maldives must release judge or charge him

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The United Nations says Maldives must free a judge from military custody or bring him to court to charge him with a crime.

A spokeswoman at the world body also said Saturday that the Maldives foreign minister requested U.N. help to resolve the dispute between the government and the judiciary. Ravina Shamdasani said the request came to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The military arrested the chief judge at the Maldives Criminal Court nearly two weeks ago after he freed a government critic. The government accuses Abdulla Mohamed of corruption and political bias but has not brought him to court for any offenses.