Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed's has urged the Prosecutor General's office to ignore the pursuit of new charges over the arbitrary arrest and subsequent detention of incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom by the military during Nasheed's government in 2010.
Prosecutor General (PG) Aishath Bisham told Avas on Tuesday that police in December had sought charges against Nasheed who is already serving 13 years in prison over a judge's arrest before he was allowed to leave to Britain on medical leave in an internationally brokered deal.
The chief prosecutor however said the ex-president is yet to be charged as the PG office is still reviewing the case.
A statement released by the Nasheed's office later Tuesday said that the former president had not been involved in any acts of terrorism, so the charges of terrorism being sought against him were illegal. However, the arrest of any individual through brute force without a proper court order is against the law in the Maldives.
President Yameen, who was a parliament member at the time, was arrested on the 14th of June 2010, after allegations were made that he was bribing other lawmakers in an attempt to overthrow Nasheed's government.
Nasheed's office also alleged that the pursuit of the new charges was 'politically motivated' and urged the chief prosecutor to ignore the police.
Nasheed is likely to be facing terrorism charges as his then defence minister Ameen Faisal has also been charged over the same offence.
Faisal's trial has already begun but during the last hearing had requested the court to lift his travel ban to enable him to travel abroad for medical treatment.
