Maldives stops former prez from leaving country
22 Dec 2012 7:23 AM IST
Maldives authorities on Friday prevented the former president who was ousted in February from leaving the island nation to visit his ill father in Bangkok, a party lawmaker said.
Mohamed Nasheed, 45, who resigned after what he alleges was a coup, is awaiting trial by a special court on charges of giving an illegal order when he was in office to have a judge arrested. If convicted, he could be jailed or banished to a remote island for three years. The Maldives, better known as a luxury holiday destination, has been rocked by violent protests over the past year in a stand-off between Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party and its opponents, who are now in power.
‘We believe this is pure harassment and such behaviour towards a former president cannot be tolerated,’ Maria Didi, a MDP lawmaker, said.
Nasheed, who won the first free elections in the Maldives in 2008, was forced out after prolonged public demonstrations against him and a mutiny by police. His trial has been suspended and his lawyers said he was granted leave to travel freely until 5 January.
President Mohamed Waheed's spokesman was not immediately available to comment.
Mohamed Nasheed, 45, who resigned after what he alleges was a coup, is awaiting trial by a special court on charges of giving an illegal order when he was in office to have a judge arrested. If convicted, he could be jailed or banished to a remote island for three years. The Maldives, better known as a luxury holiday destination, has been rocked by violent protests over the past year in a stand-off between Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party and its opponents, who are now in power.
‘We believe this is pure harassment and such behaviour towards a former president cannot be tolerated,’ Maria Didi, a MDP lawmaker, said.
Nasheed, who won the first free elections in the Maldives in 2008, was forced out after prolonged public demonstrations against him and a mutiny by police. His trial has been suspended and his lawyers said he was granted leave to travel freely until 5 January.
President Mohamed Waheed's spokesman was not immediately available to comment.
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