Self exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed has again arrived neighbouring Sri Lanka, his party has said.
Nasheed was jailed on terror charges after he was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison over the arbitrary detention of a sitting judge while he was president.
Nasheed now lives in self imposed exile in the UK after he was allowed to leave to Britain on medical leave in an internationally brokered deal in January last year.
The reason behind Nasheed's third visit to Sri Lanka since he went into self exile remains unclear.
The former president had been in Lanka in January to "reunite" the divided main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
He had also spent a week in neighbouring Sri Lanka in August last year reportedly to plot an 'imminent' overthrow of the current government.
During his last visit, Nasheed had announced his intention to contest the next presidential elections had stressed on the need for international pressure on the government to allow him to contest.
"We have decided that the MDP will produce a candidate, I am hopeful to be that candidate," the 49-year-old had told reporters in Colombo after talks with party leaders.
The Maldives constitution bars Nasheed from being a candidate because of a 2015 criminal conviction.
But the former leader expects the restriction to be lifted in response to international pressure.
