The Maldives, a popular tourist destination, appointed a new president after the man who introduced democracy to the islands resigned due to military pressure following a police mutiny. His party called it a bloodless coup. The capital island, Male, was peaceful the day after police and opposition protesters attacked the military headquarters and took over the state TV station. Former President Mohamed Nasheed resigned on Tuesday and was released from military custody. Everyday life in the Maldives, including political turmoil, is separate from the luxury resorts that attract tourists. The speaker of the People's Majlis swore in Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik as his deputy. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed hope that the transfer of power would peacefully resolve the political crisis in the country, which was sparked by President Nasheed's order to arrest a judge. This incident led to weeks of opposition protests and a police revolt. Ultimately, elements of the military forced Nasheed to resign, with unmarked vehicles and unfamiliar military men appearing at his office. Nasheed's communications adviser, Paul Roberts, witnessed the events firsthand. Roberts reported that Nasheed was taken to his office, introduced to his cabinet, and later appeared on television to announce his resignation from an undisclosed location. According to Roberts, a British citizen, Nasheed was pressured to resign by the military. Despite having the option to resist, Nasheed chose not to resort to violence. Amnesty International advised the new government against targeting individuals based on their political beliefs, as there were concerns about potential persecution of Nasheed and his supporters. Rumors circulated that Nasheed's close allies might be prevented from leaving the country. The new president, Waheed, was expected to lead a coalition national unity government until the presidential election in October 2013. He stated that labeling the change of leadership as a coup was incorrect and assured that tourists were safe. Tourism contributes significantly to the Maldives' economy, making up two-thirds of its gross domestic product of approximately $1 billion. Despite travel advisories, such as those from Britain, warning against travel to Male, most of the Maldives' nearly 1 million annual visitors do not visit the capital. Instead, they are transported directly from the airport island to their resorts by speedboat or seaplane. Flights arrived as scheduled on Wednesday. Opposition parties, with different views, united against Nasheed amid the crisis and protests. They began using strong language to criticize his Islamic beliefs in the Sunni Muslim country. Analyst N. Sathiya Moorthy praised Nasheed for being the first democratically elected president but also criticized him for causing unnecessary political and constitutional issues. Despite this, Nasheed showed strong commitment to democratic principles by gracefully stepping down from office. During the period preceding Nasheed's presidency, the state broadcaster MNBC was renamed TV Maldives, a name it had during former president Gayoom's 30-year rule known for his authoritarian leadership. Nasheed, who had spent a total of six years in jail and faced 27 arrests while fighting for democracy against Gayoom, defeated him in the 2008 election, marking the first multi-party democratic election in the history of the country. Nasheed was also praised for his strong stance on climate change and the threat of rising seas to the low-lying nation.