BHRC has sent a trial observer to the Maldives to attend court hearings of the former President of the country and head of the opposition, Mohamed Nasheed. Mr Nasheed, a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience, was the first democratically elected president of the Maldives. He lost power in controversial circumstances in February 2012.
The BHRC has been closely following the case of Mr Nasheed who was originally charged in 2012 with abusing his presidential office whilst in power by ordering the arrest and detention of the Head of the Maldivian Criminal Court in January 2012. The charges were dropped a fortnight ago, but Mr Nasheed was again arrested last week charged under anti-terrorism legislation in relation to the same incident. He is being held in custody, by order of the court, until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.
