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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  India expresses concern over former Maldives president’s arrest
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India expresses concern over former Maldives president’s arrest

Maldives court refuses bail to Mohamed Nasheed, orders him to remain in custody until end of trial

Mohamed Nasheed was arrested in Male on Sunday on charges of terrorism. Photo: AFPPremium
Mohamed Nasheed was arrested in Male on Sunday on charges of terrorism. Photo: AFP

New Delhi: India on Monday expressed concern at the arrest of former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed and the way he was treated as he arrived in court for a bail hearing.

Nasheed was arrested in the capital Male on Sunday on charges of terrorism. On Monday, a Maldives court refused bail to the former president and opposition leader, ordering him to remain in custody until the end of his trial on terrorism charges.

“We are concerned at recent developments in the Maldives including the arrest and manhandling of former President Nasheed," Indian external affairs ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said in a statement in New Delhi.

“We urge all concerned to calm the situation and resolve their differences within the constitutional and legal framework of Maldives. India reiterates its commitment to supporting people and the Government of Maldives in their quest for peace, development, prosperity and democracy," the statement said.

Video posts on the Internet showed Nasheed being dragged into court moments after he was seemingly refused permission to speak to journalists standing outside the gates.

The charges against Nasheed, the Maldives’ first democratically elected president, date back to his order to detain a judge during his presidency in January 2012. He resigned amid an army mutiny and public protests over the judge’s fate.

Nasheed later said he had been removed in a coup, but this was denied by his vice-president Mohammed Waheed, who replaced him. India was among the first countries to recognize the Waheed government.

The current president, Abdulla Yameen, was elected in controversial polls in 2013 and is the half-brother of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the archipelago nation for 30 years as president and was widely accused of autocracy.

News reports from the Maldives say Yameen ordered Nasheed’s arrest to cripple growing opposition to his rule, weakened by the recent exit of an ally—the Jumhooree Party—headed by resort tycoon Qasim Ibrahim. Ibrahim has now joined hands with Nasheed, news reports said, a move that has angered the president.

India views the nation, known for its scenic beaches and azure waters that attract high-end global tourists, as part of its strategic sphere. In recent years, India has been wary of increased Chinese attention towards the Maldives—Chinese president Xi Jinping visited the Maldives before coming to New Delhi in September.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Maldives in March, though the government has made not made any official announcement yet.

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Published: 23 Feb 2015, 07:40 PM IST
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