Nasheed's lawyers to visit Maldives next week

Two members of Mohamed Nasheed's international legal team, including famous human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, will travel to Maldives next week to meet the former Maldivian president who has been sentenced to 13-year imprisonment under the anti-terrorism laws.
Clooney, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, specialising in international law and human rights, said Nasheed's unjust imprisonment has led to the largest protest movement in Maldivian history, and protesters have in turn been added to the list of political prisoners in the country.
"My co-counsel Jared Genser and I will continue to pursue all legal and diplomatic strategies to secure our client's release, including through the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention," Clooney said.

"Nasheed has been arbitrarily returned to prison after 8 weeks under house arrest. We call on President Yameen to end this injustice, release Nasheed, and allow him to return to public life," said Genser.
According to a media statement, the Maldivian government has approved a business visa to one of the lawyers which was refused earlier.
However, it has not yet granted the lawyers any meetings with the Government officials.

"The Home Minister's refusal to meet the lawyers is particularly troubling, given the serious concerns that have been raised over President Nasheed's prison conditions and his health," a statement said.

Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader who was arrested on February 22 over the detention of a judge in 2012, was sentenced to 13-year imprisonment by a criminal court under the anti-terrorism laws.
His conviction drew widespread criticism over the apparent lack of due process in the 19-day trial. The fairness has been questioned by international governments, including India and the US and rights organisations.
The former president was ousted in February, 2011 by a mutiny of security forces. He said he was forced to resign as a result of a coup.