Amal Clooney to defend former Maldivian president Nasheed

Top lawyer wife of popular Hollywood actor George Clooney to visit Sri Lanka as well for further meetings

REUTERS: Amal Clooney, one of the world’s most prominent human rights lawyers and wife of Hollywood actor George Clooney, arrived in the Maldivian capital Male on Monday (7 September) to defend the country’s first democratically-elected leader.

Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being found guilty of terrorism for ordering the arrest of a judge and is currently being held in Maafushi jail.

Nasheed was ousted in disputed circumstances, narrowly defeated in a controversial election and then arrested earlier this year under new charges of terrorism.

In May this year a crowd of more than 10,000 people marched through the streets chanting “Free Nasheed”.

The protest was the largest since Nasheed was imprisoned in March for his role in ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial the United Nations has said was highly flawed and politically motivated.

“Nasheed, the former President who fought so hard to bring human rights and democracy to this country, is now a political prisoner here, one of many unfortunately. I am arriving in Male, in your beautiful country unfortunately at a time when human rights situation, the security situation is deteriorating by the day,” Clooney told journalists upon arrival in the capital, Male.

“We are hoping to make some advances this week regarding President Nasheed’s case. My colleague Jared Gesner will be coming in tomorrow,” Clooney added.

President Abdullah Yameen’s Government has repeatedly said Nasheed’s trial was fair, denied any political motivation and warned foreign governments against intervention.

The Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago of fewer than 400,000 people, is increasingly polarised between Nasheed’s supporters and those backing President Yameen.

Yameen became president in November 2013 in an election whose first-round result was cancelled when early results put Nasheed ahead. When the second round was held, Nasheed lost by a narrow margin and conceded defeat.

The jailed president had been imprisoned many times while he was a prominent human rights activist before becoming the first president to be elected in free and fair elections.

Amal and Gesner will also travel to Sri Lanka and India for further meetings.