Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed has affirmed his unwavering commitment to advocating for the release of former President Abdulla Yameen, the imprisoned leader of the main opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
Yameen is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence on a money laundering and bribery conviction. His party continues to assert his innocence and claims that his sentence was politically motivated.
Speaking at a Democrats campaign rally at Gaafu Dhaalu Dhevvadhoo on Saturday, Nasheed said even if he did not wish to engage in political discussions with either PPM or Yameen, he would continue to call for Yameen's release.
Recounting his own experience of being convicted of terrorism and sentenced to 13 years in prison during President Yameen's administration, Nasheed described his imprisonment as an injustice. However, he said does not wish to talk about the injustice he faced, he said.
"Even I can speak about loss, grief, and the loneliness I experienced. However, I choose not to talk about it today," he said.
Nasheed said when a person faces injustice, it is natural to have a spirit of revenge and vengeance and acknowledged that he, too, had similar feelings. However, it is the unique capacity of humans to transcend these instincts and make conscious decisions not to seek revenge, he said.
"A real human being can transform from an animalistic state to a state of humanity by consciously choosing not to retaliate aggressively to an attack," Nasheed asserted.
He emphasized his belief that those in positions of power should not find themselves imprisoned and underscored his commitment to advocating for Yameen's release. The former president also urged PPM to refrain from misconstruing his statements about defending human rights as political statements.
Nasheed's comments regarding Yameen coincide with claims from Yameen's legal team that both President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Nasheed bear equal responsibility for Yameen's imprisonment.
