High Court has accepted the appeal of the 11 year prison sentence on former Defence Minister Colonel Mohamed Nazim.
The appeal was submitted last Thursday. He was sentenced by the Criminal Court to 11 years in prison for importing and possessing a firearm.
Nazim was sacked from President Yameen Abdul Gayoom's cabinet in January after police raided his home and allegedly found a pistol and some bullets.
Relatives and supporters of Nazim say the charges were politically motivated because he was becoming popular within Gayoom's party.