In a sudden move, the Maldives government, on Monday, overturned its decision to extend the medical leave of former President Mohammed Nasheed by one more month.
On Sunday, the authorities announced the extension of the leave till May 19 as Mr. Nasheed, according to spokesperson of the office of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, submitted the required documents.
In the U.K. since January-middle
Mr. Nasheed, who was convicted in March last year for having allegedly ordered the arrest of the chief judge of the Criminal Court and sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment, is now in the United Kingdom on a medical leave since the middle of January.
While the government has attributed the change in its decision to the statement of Mr. Nasheed’s lawyer that the former President would not undergo surgery on April 19, an aide at the office of Mr. Nasheed said the former President’s lawyer had to clarify only after Mr. Gayoom was reported to have disclosed in public “inaccurate information” on Sunday on the proposed procedure for his predecessor.
At the same time, the spokesperson at the President’s office also said there was no deadline fixed for Mr Nasheed to return even though he was expected to return at the earliest as the duration of the leave had come to an end.
Two others also asked to return
Meanwhile, the authorities have also asked former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim and former Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, who were also on medical leave for treatment abroad after having been convicted for different charges, to return to the country.
