MDP: Government agreed to send letter authorizing Nasheed be transferred to house arrest permanently

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said that government agreed on July 19, 2015 to send letter authorizing the party leader and former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed – currently serving a 13 year prison sentence – be permanently transferred to house arrest.

MDP released a statement on Thursday saying that the party had been holding discussions with government officials since Nasheed was transferred to house arrest in June, 2015 to find a political solution to the political turmoil the country was plunged into since Nasheed’s arrest and subsequent incarceration, up until he was transferred back to prison.

MDP Parliamentary Group Leader MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih participated the discussions on behalf of MDP. The party said that discussions had been held through two channels; one being directly with President Abdulla Yameen – which was facilitated by former Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor, and the other being discussions with government delegation headed by Home Minister Umar Naseer.

The party said that discussions had been held which included MDP agreeing to support the government’s economic agenda and MDP agreeing to support changes the government wanted to bring to the political situation in the country.

Other topics of discussion including MDP stopping their street demonstrations and MDP not making any comment on government remarks to press on subject of case put forward on behalf of Nasheed to United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Decisions and Nasheed withdrawing the complaint.

MDP said that they had requested during the discussions that Nasheed be freed, to which government agreed to transfer him to house arrest for two days, which was extended to a week, and that government agreed to permanently transfer him to house arrest on July 26, 2015.

“As such, government informed Ibrahim Mohamed Solih that the letter permitting President Mohamed Nasheed be transferred to permanent house arrest would be handed over by Maldives Correctional Service at sometime between 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm on July 19, 2015,” read the statement.

Nasheed was transferred to house arrest for eight weeks on June 23, 2015 as per doctor’s instruction that he be kept in a stress-free environment. And the disputed letter permitting Nasheed be transferred to house arrest permanently was handed over to him by Correctional Service officials on July 19, while he was under house arrest.

However, Nasheed was transferred back to prison on July 23 – sparking outrage from MDP and Nasheed’s supporters.

Correction Service said the letter had not come from them – a matter that is under investigation by police at the moment.

Nasheed’s legal team has said that he was currently being kept in jail illegally.