Former Defense Minister Ameen Faisal charged with terrorism over the arbitrary arrest and subsequent detention of incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom by the military during former president Mohamed Nasheed's government has asked the court to temporarily lift his travel ban to allow him to seek medical treatment abroad.
During the hearing of his trial, Faisal had asked the criminal court to grant him leave to travel abroad for medical treatment. Faisal told the court that the required treatment was unavailable in the Maldives and doctors had advised him not to delay treatment as his ailment is life threatening.
The judge presiding over the case however, had not made a decision during the hearing.
During the hearing, the judge gave the former defence minister seven days to appoint an attorney .
President Abdulla Yameen, who was a parliament member at the time, was arrested on the 14th of June 2010, after allegations were made that he was bribing other lawmakers in an attempt to overthrow Nasheed's government.
The Supreme Court nullified the arrest and ordered his release, to which the police complied. However, upon his release, he was arrested again by the military.
Police had launched an investigation into the incident two months earlier, and Ameen had been summoned and questioned.
Ameen Faisal had denied any role in the arrest and any wrongdoing during his tenure as the Defense Minister.
Ameen's predecessor Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu had also been convicted and sentenced to prison over the detention of a sitting judge by the military.
Nasheed had also been serving 13 years in prison over the judge's arrest before he was allowed to leave to Britain on medical leave in an internationally brokered deal.