Supreme Court of Maldives suspends ex-prez Nasheed’s jail term

MALE: The Maldives Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended a 13-year jail sentence given to the country's exiled former president until it reviews his conviction as requested by the prosecutor general.

The court ordered that the government, police and prison authorities adhere to the suspension of the sentence for the former leader, Mohamed Nasheed.

The order came two days before Nasheed is to return to the Maldives after living in exile for more than two years, and appears to be a move by the incoming government to prevent his arrest on arrival.

The prosecutor general's office on Sunday sought a Supreme Court review of Nasheed's conviction under the country's tough terrorism

law for ordering the military to detain a top judge when he was president in 2012.

His trial was criticized internationally for lack of due process, along with the trials of many other political opponents jailed by outgoing President Yameen Abdul Gayoom's administration. He was offered asylum in Britain when he went there for medical treatment on

leave from prison. He later based himself in neighboring Sri Lanka for political work.

Nasheed's party candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, defeated Yameen in a Sept. 28 presidential election. Since his victory some of the jailed officials have been discharged, released on bail, or have returned home from exile.