London: Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed, who is in London for medical treatment, said that he had not yet decided whether to return to his country. Flanked by his legal team including Amal Clooney, Nasheed said he would need to consult on his next move. Addressing a press conference he said, “I know the question you all want to ask is will I go back. This has been more eloquently answered by The Clash in 1982 when I was doing my A-Levels - “should I Stay Or Should I Go?” Nasheed, who was educated in Britain, told reporters.
But he added: “Let me be clear. I will go to the Maldives. I will definitely go to the Maldives, there is no doubt about that. But only the question is how and when.” Nasheed, 48, arrived in London last week after being granted 30 days of leave from the Maldives for spinal cord surgery in a deal brokered by Sri Lanka, India and Britain.
He and his lawyers visited 10 Downing Street on Saturday, where Prime Minister David Cameron pledged support. Nasheed became the first democratically-elected president of the Maldives in 2008 and served for four years before he was toppled in what he called a coup backed by the military and police. Last year, he was sentenced to 13 years in jail on terrorism charges.
During her husband’s imprisonment Mrs Nasheed expressed fears that his life was in danger and that his enemies might try to assassinate him and make it look like suicide. The United Nations ruled Nasheed’s detention as “arbitrary” and ordered his immediate release. But the Maldives' regime refused to comply with the UN ruling.
Cherie Booth attacked for advising ‘terrorism hotbed’
Cherie Booth’s role in advising the Maldives regime at a time of “burgeoning terrorism activity” has been attacked by Clooney’s legal team and the former president. Omnia Strategy, Ms Booth’s law firm, is working for the Maldives government, which jailed Nasheed.
Speaking in London at the Doughty Street chambers of Ms Clooney, he said: “I think it is very sad that the former prime minister’s wife has decided to work against the people of the Maldives.” Nasheed and his legal team are urging sanctions against those in the Maldives responsible for “gross” breaches of human rights. All opposition leaders have been jailed and there are also some 1,700 political prisoners facing charges, Ms Clooney said.
She added that sanctions were a last resort but everything else had been tried. “Let’s not forget: if the government has its way, Nasheed will be back in prison in less than 30 days for the crime of being a moderate and popular leader who, given the chance, will win the next election,” she said.
Ben Emmerson, QC, another member of the legal team, who is the UN rapporteur on human rights and terrorism but spoke in a personal capacity, said that the Maldives were a hotbed of fundamentalism and terrorism.” Nasheed said that more than 200 Muslims had left to fight in Syria with Islamic State, which was the equivalent of “something like 30,000 of the UK population” doing the same.
