Umar: Nasheed given 30-day permit to receive medical care in UK

Home Minister Umar Naseer said on Sunday that imprisoned former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed has been given permission to stay 30-days in UK to receive medical care.

Umar said that Nasheed was given the permission in accordance with legal counsel by Attorney General Mohamed Anil.

According to Umar, Anil referred to clause 7 of law on incentives and protection to anyone who served as Maldivian president; and said that Nasheed needed to be given permission to travel abroad for medical care.

The clause states that medical care, either in Maldives or abroad needed to be arranged for anyone who served as Maldivian president and his or her spouse at State expense.

Umar said that the government was trying to make arrangements to send Nasheed to UK on

Sunday itself, and that 30 days would be counted starting from the day he travelled out of the country.

He said that the allowed for an addition 45 days if Nasheed needed to be hospitalized after the surgery.

Serving a 13-year prison sentence, the former Maldivian president was given permission to travel abroad for medical care on Saturday.