Maldives court denies bail, legal access to former president

Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed has been refused bail by a court a day after he was arrested on terrorism charges.

A court on Monday refused to grant bail to Nasheed allegedly due to an attempt by him in 2013 to seek refuge in the Indian embassy in the capital, Malé.

Police used force to drag Nasheed into the court which, according to reports, caused him minor injury.

A spokesman for Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said the court has ordered the opposition leader to remain under police custody.

Shauna Aminath described the charges against Nasheed as politically motivated and a ploy to shut down protests ahead of a planned demonstration against the government of President Abdulla Yameen on Friday.

Nasheed's top legal adviser also deplored the government’s decision to deny Nasheed any legal access.

“The conduct of the courts, police and President Yameen's administration has been reprehensible,” said Hissan Hussein.

Hundreds took to the streets on Sunday to protest the government’s decision to arrest Nasheed, who is Maldives' first democratically elected president.

The arrest of Nasheed on Sunday is believed to be closely related to the former president’s decision in 2012 to detain the criminal court chief, judge Abdulla Mohamed, for alleged corruption.

Nasheed, who had to resign amid an army mutiny and public protests over the arrest, lost the country's 2013 presidential election to the incumbent Yameen.

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