UK grants asylum to Maldives' ex-president Mohamed Nasheed

May 24, 2016 08:10

Britain has granted political refugee status to ousted former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, his lawyer has claimed.

A prominent human rights campaigner and Maldives' first democratically elected president, 49-year-old Nasheed had been allowed to go to Britain in January for the for spinal cord surgery following a deal brokered by Sri Lanka, India and the UK.

His lawyer Hasan Latheef claimed yesterday that Nasheed had been granted political refugee status, but the British government is yet to comment.

"In the past year, freedom of the press, expression and assembly have all been lost. Given the slide towards authoritarianism in the Maldives myself and other opposition politicians feel we have no choice but to work from exile -- for now," Nasheed said in a statement confirming his exile.

The Madives government said yesterday that it was disappointed that the UK government had agreed to "be part of this charade", adding that British ministers were helping with efforts to circumvent the law.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Champions of investor trust: 10 stocks with institutional seal of approval

'15 seconds, and Owaisis wouldn't know...': BJP's Rana

Rana's blistering attack came in response to AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi's controversial speech in 2013 that it would take them only '15 minutes' to balance the 'Hindu- Muslim ratio' in the country if the police were removed.

Haryana crisis: Oppn approaches guv, steps up efforts to topple BJP govt

'It is evident that the BJP govt in Haryana no longer commands a majority,' former Deputy Chief Minister and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala said in his letter to the governor on Wednesday.

Air India Express cabin crew call off strike; no sacking of staffers

Both parties will discuss the issues and there will be a meeting again on May 28, he said.

Pune court likely to pronounce verdict in Dabholkar murder case today

Additional sessions judge A A Jadhav of the special court for cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is likely to pronounce the judgement on Friday, said special public prosecutor Prakash Suryawanshi.