Govt: Only the judiciary can free Yameen

The new Maldivian administration said on Thursday that there is nothing more that the government can do to free former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, and that it is now in the hands of the country’s judiciary.

Yameen, who served as Maldivian leader from 2013-2018, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for money laundering and bribery charges in connection to the sale of V. Aarah on December 26, 2022.

Freeing him from what the now ruling PPM-PNC previously described as a “haram conviction” was one of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s biggest pledges, heading into the September presidential elections.

In a press conference on Thursday morning, Mohamed Shaheeb, the chief spokesperson at the President’s Office, said that President Muizzu hadn’t pledged to “literally” free Yameen, but to have him transferred home and to end the government influence on the judiciary.

 Shaheeb said that as President Muizzu promised in his inaugural address in November, the government does not exert any influence on the judiciary.

He said that Yameen’s freedom is no longer in the hands of the government, but that the power lies with the judiciary.

“President Muizzu delivered his pledge on November 17. Its now in the hands of the judiciary. The government will certainly not exert any influence,” he said.

Yameen was transferred from Maafushi Prison to his home in Male’ City on October 1, the day after President Muizzu won the presidential election runoff.

Maldives Correctional Service later eased the terms of his home confinement, to allow him to leave the house for exercise and other such purposes.

Yameen was repeatedly warned by the Correctional Service after he visited his then-party office three times.

He requested permission to engage in political activities, but the request was denied by Correctional Service, as the law prohibits convicts from active involvement in political activities.

President Muizzu had only run in the presidential election after the Elections Commission rejected Yameen’s candidacy due to his money laundering conviction. The decision was later backed by the Supreme Court.

Following the court decision, Yameen initially asked the PPM-PNC coalition to boycott the election, but later rescinded the request following opposition from leaders of the coalition, and endorsed President Muizzu.

But just short of a week into President Muizzu’s administration, Yameen left PPM, and initiated efforts to form a new party – the People’s National Front (PNF).