Maldives ex-President 'Mohamed Nasheed arrested'

Last Updated: Monday, October 08, 2012, 12:27

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Tags: Maldives, President, Mohamed Nasheed, arrest

Zeenews Bureau

Colombo: Mohammed Nasheed, former Maldivian president was arrested on Monday, after he failed to attend a court hearing to face charges of abuse of power while in office, his party spokesman said on Twitter.

Maldivian police arrested Nasheed, 45, at the Island of Faresmaathodaa of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, south of Maldives.

Maldivian Democratic Party spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor tweeted, "President Nasheed grabbed from protesting supporters, arrested and being taken away from Fares-Mathoda".

Police spokesman Hassan Haneef confirmed that the former president has been arrested after Hulhumale Magistrate Court ordered the police to produce him before it.

A Maldives court had ordered ex-President Mohamed Nasheed to be arrested if he failed to appear for a hearing to face charges that he illegally ordered the arrest of a judge.

Last week, the Hulhumale Magistrate Court ordered Nasheed to appear at a hearing and not leave the capital, Male, without the court's permission. Nasheed defied both orders.

He refused to appear before a three-judge bench set up to hear charges that he abused his power while in office.

"Questioning the legitimacy of the ad hoc Magistrate Court, I have appealed the case with the high court and I await a decision," he wrote on Twitter.

Nasheed, who is the first democratically elected president of the island nation, fears he would not be given a fair trial.

The case is regarding his decision to send the military to arrest a senior judge in January, an action that led to protests and his resignation in February.

If found guilty, Nasheed could be sentenced to a maximum of three years in jail or banished to a remote island or a fine not exceeding MVR 2,000.

If Nasheed is convicted and sentenced to a period of more than one year, he would be disqualified from contesting in the upcoming Presidential election.

Nasheed — who has said he was forced from office in a coup d'etat — also openly defied the court's order by leaving the capital in a fishing boat to another island to engage in his election campaign.

Nasheed's supporters have been demanding early elections by holding protests but President Mohammed Waheed Hassan has said he will not hold elections before July 2013.

With Agency Inputs

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First Published: Monday, October 08, 2012, 11:30

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Fathimath Raa - Maldives
He may be a street boy as you call him, but during his tenure we saw major projects in the country Maldives. We saw him protecting the rights of the elders, We saw him helping the lonely mothers, We saw him visiting people himself and asking about them. We had a 30 years with the same president. Do you say that within those 30 years there was no corruption? No drugs in Maldives? Do you say that we were living in peace? How many people were suffering. I am one of them who suffered during the time. Mr Nasheed left all that and started with the people. The problem no one is concerned about the nation. Every one wants to be the president. Think people, lets make this nation the real sunny side of life.

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Ali Saeed - Adducity
Our beloved President Nasheed was arrested by a unlawful order from a unlawful coat..

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Shiuna - Maldives
Good lesson for former president Nasheed. No one is above the law.

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Blue Moodh - Maldives
how about abdula hameed, he above the law. . . .

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Boduthakurufaanu - Male' Mladives
He may be an activist and rouge elements in the street of Male` well known as ``vakarugey dhari`` the street boy! he never won an election and he never represented a noble thing such as democracy. he knew nothing about democracy and he is a complete ignorant to it. As his childhood he had defied the tradition, customs law and other rules prevailed in the country. Today he did the same thing and he is facing the consequences!