Maldives permits jailed ex-president to have surgery abroad B

colombo, sri lanka» The Maldives government said Saturday that it has given permission to an imprisoned ex-president to travel to Britain for surgery.

The foreign ministry said in a statement that the permission was given on condition that Mohamed Nasheed serves the remaining years of his sentence once he returns.

Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison in March for ordering the military to detain a senior judge when he was president in 2012. The move led to weeks of public protests resulting to his resignation.