Police: Smarter than Nasheed this time
Arrest former President Nasheed for Court trial
From  : Miadhu.com

The police has acted smarter than Former President Moahamed Nasheed , arrested him and taken him to Dhoonidhoo detention camp as ordered by the Hulhumale Court where he will be presented tomorrow for his impending trial in connection with the illegal arrest of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed last year. The former President was taken to Dhoonidhoo this afternoon and there were no prior news about it. His lawyers said the former president was arrested from his family residence against law without any information or court order.

Meanwhile, former President Nasheed is facing a trial for arresting Senior Judge of Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed without a court order on 16 January last year which prompted a long series of protests against his government and led to his resignation and President Waheed’s successio. Nasheed has demanded to defer his trial until after the presidential elections and has avoided the trial saying his trial is designed at excluding him from the election.

The court issued an order to the Police to arrest and present the former president Nasheed to the court on 13 February but Nasheed escaped the trial by taking refuge in the Indian High Commission the same day. His refuge in the Indian High Commission became a thorny diplomatic issue between the two countries. He left the High Commission 11 days later after an Indian envoy visited Male and met some top officials.

Following Nasheed’s refuge in the Indian High Commission, India, US, UK, France, Australia UN and Commonwealth has called for free fair and inclusive presidential elections with the chosen candidates of political parties to be able to contest it.

Some officials of the Maldivian Government accused India of interfering into internal affairs of the country which India denied. Both governments denied there was a deal which led Nasheed leaving the High Commission.

The court has also issued an arrest warrant on Nasheed twice in February, but he surprised the world by taking refuge in the Indian High Commission in Male on 13 February to escape the trial. The second arrest order was issued while he was in the High Commission and he did not attend the hearing. His refuge at the Indian High Commission became a thorny issue between the two countries while India was accused of interfering in the internal affairs of Maldives which India denied. Nasheed stayed in the High Commission for 11 days and left it on 23 February.

After leaving the mission Nasheed told a news conference that he hopes he could contest in the September 7 presidential election and repeated his call to form a care taker government to ensure free and fare election. He has also demanded President Waheed to step down to enable a free and fair election.

There were speculation that Nasheed left Indian High Commission on a deal but both Indian and Maldives Government denied such a deal. Nasheed was under island arrest since he left the High Commission preventing him from leaving capital Male’. He did not attend his party’s campaigns last week and cancelled a visit abroad. Nasheed has said his trial is a politically motivated attempt to exclude him from the presidential election.

There is increasing likelihood that Nasheed will be tried and sentenced soon for the arrest of Judge Abdulla Mohamed during his Government which collapsed following long protests against him and his government. Nasheed resigned on 7 February when his Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed succeeded him. Nasheed has alleged he was overthrown in a military backed coup and faced death threats prior to his resignation.

If convicted, Nasheed could be barred from contesting the presidential election.