Former President Mohamed Nasheed Sentenced To 13 year Imprisonment.
Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed was sentenced to 13-year imprisonment by country’s criminal court under the anti-terrorism laws. Nasheed was charged under the island nation’s Anti-Terrorism Act, 1990 for his order to arrest a Criminal Court judge Abdulla Mohamed in 2012.
Mohammed Nasheed’s arrest :
• Mohammed Nasheed, former President of the Maldives recently arrested and denied legal representation after his arrest. He was the first democratically elected president in the year 2008, ending an autocracy of over 30 years.
• His Maldivian Democratic Party had appealed to the international community.
• Lack of resolution of differences within the legal and constitutional framework
• Lawyers of MDP said the charges are politically motivated.
Government’s Defence:
• Arrest was necessary to prevent Nasheed from absconding
• Allegations of a coup against Nasheed and MDP
• No interference with the Prosecutor General’s office or the judiciary
• Maldives government has asked India to adhere to the principles of Panchsheel and not interfere in the domestic politics of the nation
• Request for an envoy to mediate the current crisis
Indian Response:
• India expressed concern over the arrest and manhandling of Nasheed. It also asked those involved for resolving differences within a constitutional framework.
US Response:
US asked Maldives to restore confidence in:
• Democracy
• Judicial independence
• Rule of Law
UN Response:
• UN Secretary’s spokesperson expressed that the situation was being closely monitored by the UN which was aware of the former President’s arrest.
Implications for the Region:
Yameen’s (current President of the Republic of Maldives) equation with Pakistan to be tested and important questions in this regard are:
• Review of strategic ties between China, Pakistan and Maldives
• China has been seeking to restore ties with Maldives; Indian concern in this context notable
• China aiming for expanding strategic influence in Maldives from point of view of military bases
• Intense lobbying by China through Pakistan
• China aiming for Marao Island base; war doctrine focused on sea based and not land based offensives
• China’s defence budget for the navy hiked by as much as 35 percent
• The arrest has far reaching implications for restoration of peace and democracy in the Maldives
• Nasheed’s arrest and Imprisonment points to political vendetta and its powerful impact on people’s aspirations for democracy in the region.
Source: The Hindu