Maldives ex-President’s detention extended; India, US concerned

Wednesday, 25 February 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Opposition leader and former Maldives’ President Mohamed Nasheed arrives at Mal’e City with police officers, for the first hearing of the trial held at Criminal Court in Male, February 23, 2015. Police in Maldives arrested Nasheed on Sunday after a court said he might flee the country to avoid hearings on terrorism charges, leading to clashes between his supporters and authorities. REUTERS Reuters: Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed will stay in police custody until his trial in a terrorism case is completed, a court ruled on Monday, prompting expressions of concern from neighbour India and the United States. Nasheed was arrested on Sunday after a criminal court said he might flee the country to avoid hearings on terrorism charges stemming from the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed during his presidency in 2012. He was brought to court on Monday, where he complained that police had dragged him there, injuring him in the process. “I have been shoved to the ground and my arm has been broken,” he told the court. “Take me to a doctor and then you can issue your verdict.” Judge Abdulla Didi gave Nasheed three days to appoint a lawyer and answer terrorism charges. He ordered police to hold him for the length of the trial. The treatment of Nasheed, the first democratically-elected president of the Maldives, prompted comment from New Delhi and Washington. “We are concerned at recent developments in the Maldives, including the arrest and manhandling of former President Nasheed,” India’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said, adding that political parties should resolve their differences within the constitutional framework. New Delhi views the Maldives, a group of 1,190 coral islands southwest of India, as part of its sphere of influence. It has been concerned about China’s efforts to boost its strategic presence in the Indian Ocean, including a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the archipelago last year.