Umar: Nasheed cannot leave unless family signs document he tore up

Home Minister Umar Naseer has said that imprisoned former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) cannot leave the country unless he signs the additional document he tore up and his family signs the document they are required to.

Speaking to “Sun” in an interview on Monday, Umar said that Nasheed would be transported straight to the airport as soon as he and his family signs the documents.

“He cannot go unless it’s signed. They have to sign it,” said Umar.

Umar said that Nasheed tore up the document after a long discussion with his lawyers.

“He tore it up after he signed it. He had the document in his hand and tore it up after a long discussion with his lawyers. There were Correctional Service officials there when he tore it up,” he said.

Umar said that Maldivian government would not talk to any foreign party regarding allowing Nasheed to travel out of the country for medical care. And that government would only consult with Home Ministry regarding allowing a prisoner to travel out of the country.

“Government will not talk to any foreign party regarding this. State will talk with Home Ministry regarding sending an inmate in a Maldivian prison out of the country for medical care. Maldivian government will not talk to any foreign government regarding Nasheed or make any kind of deal,” he said.

Umar said that Nasheed’s legal team had pushed for him to be allowed to travel abroad for medical care, saying that his situation was critical; but that the seriousness of Nasheed’s medical condition had now been thrown into doubt.

“I don’t think so. I’m very suspicious now as to whether Nasheed really needs to travel out of the country for medical care. He doesn’t want to go now. Before this Nasheed was complaining that he had many relatives and could not meet them all. They went to Civil Court and filed a lawsuit. But now he has no relative who can sign the document as his guarantee,” said Umar.

Nasheed has refused to allow anyone from his family to sign the document.

Umar pointed out that Nasheed and his wife Laila Ali travelled out of the country previously after signing such a document.

Commenting on the speculation that Nasheed will flee after travelling to UK, Umar said jokingly that he did not believe Nasheed would flee. And that if he did, he would thereafter be called “Fili Anni” – roughly translated to mean “Anni the Fleer”.

He said that Nasheed was creating drama to make headlines. And that he was creating drama because his political career was coming to an end.

“He knows that he needs to create drama in Maldives before he leaves. Creating media headlines, that’s what he’s doing. A person whose political career is coming to an end needs to create some drama, isn’t it?”

Umar said that Nasheed would be taken to the airport as soon as they receive signatures required for all the official documents.