Colombo: Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed has had his 13-year prison sentence commuted to a term under house arrest, his international lawyer Jared Genser said Friday.
"The government of the Maldives has permanently moved president Nasheed to house arrest for the balance of his 13-year term in prison", Genser told reporters in Colombo, the capital of neighbouring Sri Lanka.
The lawyer`s comments came hours after the Maldives government said it would appeal against Nasheed`s conviction in March which drew heavy international criticism.