The visiting European Union (EU) delegation has said it will not pursue the transfer of former President Abdullah Yameen to house arrest.
Currently serving an 11-year sentence for money laundering and bribery convictions, the former president has spent more than 1,000 days in incarceration..
The EU delegation, which arrived in the Maldives to observe the upcoming presidential election, was asked by PArliament Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed on Tuesday to facilitate transferring Yameen to house arrest.
Leading the EU delegation, European Parliament Member Nacho Sánchez Amor clarified during a news conference that despite Nasheed's appeal, the delegation would refrain from attempting to place President Yameen under house arrest.
Nacho said the delegation would not interfere in judicial matters. As Yameen's case is ongoing in court, the delegation will not speak about anything involving the judiciary, he said.
Nasheed said was seeking the assistance of the EU delegation to facilitate Yameen's transfer in his pursuit of ensuring a fair and impartial presidential election. In recent weeks, Nasheed has consistently called for Yameen’s release. He has recently said that Yameen's PPM-PNC leadership was not doing enough to free him. NAsheed has also said Yameen would be transferred to house arrest within a week of the PPM signing a coalition agreement to work with his party, The Democrats.
