Maldives orders jailed Nasheed to return

The Maldives yesterday cancelled the prison leave granted to jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed to undergo

The Maldives yesterday cancelled the prison leave granted to jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed to undergo medical treatment in London and said it expected him to return "expediently".

The 48-year-old former leader was jailed last year on controversial terrorism charges, but was allowed to travel to Britain in January for treatment after he fell ill in jail.

The government initially extended Nasheed's prison leave to allow him to undergo surgery, but revoked the extension almost immediately, although it has not given him a deadline to return.

"The former president was given an extension to undergo surgery. As his lawyers have confirmed that there is no surgery scheduled, the extension was cancelled," it said in a statement.

Nasheed became the first democratically elected president of the Maldives in 2008 and served for four years before he was toppled in what he called a coup backed by the military and police. He was jailed on terrorism charges relating to the arrest of an allegedly corrupt judge in 2012, when he was still in power. The Maldives has suffered prolonged political unrest in recent years, seriously denting its reputation as an upmarket tourist destination.

medical treatment in London and said it expected him to return "expediently".

The 48-year-old former leader was jailed last year on controversial terrorism charges, but was allowed to travel to Britain in January for treatment after he fell ill in jail.

The government initially extended Nasheed's prison leave to allow him to undergo surgery, but revoked the extension almost immediately, although it has not given him a deadline to return.

"The former president was given an extension to undergo surgery. As his lawyers have confirmed that there is no surgery scheduled, the extension was cancelled," it said in a statement.

Nasheed became the first democratically elected president of the Maldives in 2008 and served for four years before he was toppled in what he called a coup backed by the military and police. He was jailed on terrorism charges relating to the arrest of an allegedly corrupt judge in 2012, when he was still in power. The Maldives has suffered prolonged political unrest in recent years, seriously denting its reputation as an upmarket tourist destination.