Nasheed who leads opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) serving a 13-year prison sentence over the arbitrary detention of Chief Criminal Judge Abdulla Mohamed during his tenure as president was transferred to house arrest for two months due to health reasons. After the fast-tracked trial, Nasheed had foregone his right to appeal. In a statement Swire noted the concerns raised by the international community over the conduct of Nasheed’s trial, which was “not conducted in a transparent or impartial manner or in accordance with due legal process.” In that regard, he urged the Maldivian government to demonstrate true judicial independence in all court cases and appeals in order to restore faith in the legal system. “I also continue to encourage genuine political dialogue between all parties and the release of all political prisoners, including former President Nasheed, to help re-establish confidence in democracy in the Maldives,” the statement said. MDP has accused the government of backtracking on its original agreement to commute Nasheed’s sentence to house arrest, a claim strongly denied by the government. The opposition party has since ceased all dialogue with the government and warned to resume protests and political gatherings throughout the Maldives.