Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s Office has called on the Correctional Services to implement and follow the letter allegedly issued by the Service on 19th July 2015.
A statement released by the Office stated that Nasheed was jailed for 13 years following a trial, which the Office labelled as unjust and unconstitutional. The statement added that he was transferred home after a letter issued by the Service on 19th July 2015 but the decision was revoked on 23rd August, citing the letter was not an authentic letter. The statement noted the decision to revoke his stay at home was illegal.
The statement further said that the letter issued by the Service on 19th July 2015, explicitly stated that the letter had authorized Nasheed to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest.
The Office stated that based on the date on the letter, the date of implementation date was 17th August 2015. Therefore, the statement said that from 17th to 23rd August, Nasheed had been under house arrest.
The Office also said that there was no room to doubt the authenticity of the letter, as the letter was printed on the official letterhead of the Service, numbered, stamped and delivered to Nasheed. Additionally, the letter was similar to the other letters issued by the Service to Nasheed.
“The Government had continuously said that if the Government had failed to follow proper procedures in the interactions with individuals it was no reason for an individual to suffer. Even the Attorney General has stated that the Government has to honor the accord, even if the Government enacts the appropriate actions on the other party. Therefore, the Police have to investigate the Correctional Services letter, determine if there were any irregularities, to enact the required measures and to return Nasheed back to house arrest for the remainder of his sentence, as the letter stated,” the statement said.
The statement urged the Government to follow the precedent set by the Government itself and to return Nasheed to house arrest as per the letter dated on 19th July 2015.