Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, who is serving a corruption sentence, has requested to extend the medical treatment period.
Adeeb departed for Singapore on July 11 under the custody of the Maldives Correctional Service and police security, with a ten-day period allotted for his medical treatment. However, his return, which was scheduled for Friday, has not occurred as planned.
In response to queries about Adeeb's return, a spokesperson for the Maldives Correctional Service said that Adeeb had formally submitted a request for an extension of the deadline, providing the necessary documents to support his request. The same procedure is followed for all prisoners who are unable to complete their treatment within the initially granted period. The Correction's medical board will review the submitted documents and make a decision accordingly, he said.
According to Adeeb's party, the Maldives Third Way Democrats (MTD), he is suffering from a life-threatening neurological disease and was advised by several doctors at various hospitals to seek treatment abroad.
In a previous statement, MTD said Adeeb was unjustly tortured in prison and prevented from receiving medical treatment during the rule of former President Abdullah Yameen from 2015 to 2018. However, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration has facilitated for Adeeb to receive adequate medical treatment, the party acknowledged. The MTD emphasized their belief in the fundamental right of every individual, regardless of their political affiliation, to access quality healthcare.
Adeeb has previously suffered from several health problems and has received treatment in the Maldives and abroad. In 2019, he was apprehended while attempting to escape to India on a tug boat.
