Former President Mohamed Nasheed speaking. PHOTO:MDP
The first hearing of Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s second terrorism charge case, originally scheduled for Wednesday, has been cancelled as the court summons is yet to be delivered to Nasheed.
The state is pressing terrorism charges against Nasheed for arresting and arbitrarily detaining incumbent President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in July 2010 during the former’s administration. The former president has already been convicted on terrorism charges for the arbitrary detention of a judge during his regime for which he is jailed to 13 years in jail. Nasheed had fled to the United Kingdom where he has been living under political asylum for over a year.
He is currently on a visit to Sri Lanka.
According to the Constitution, hearings of criminal trials cannot proceed in the absence of the defendant.
Police first arrested President Yameen with accusations of plotting to topple the government. Following the Supreme Court’s order to release him, Nasheed had then placed him under military custody in Kaafu atoll Aarah island “for protection”. The Civil Court had subsequently ordered compensation to President Yameen for his detention.
The former Minister of Defence Ameen Faisal is also undergoing trials regarding President Yameen’s detention.