Islamic scholar and Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla has requested the Supreme Court to review his terrorism conviction.
Sheikh Imran was convicted for terrorism and sentenced for 12 years after his involvement in the major opposition rally, May-Day parade, in 2015.
The Criminal Court had sentenced him on terrorism charges over his controversial speech at the May-Day gathering, accusing him of inciting violence.
The top court had earlier rejected Sheikh Imran’s final appeal to overturn the High Court’s verdict to uphold Criminal Court’s verdict to jail him on terrorism charges.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Imran’s lawyer and Adhaalath Party’s Deputy Leader Ali Zahir stated that it is vital to free the leaders of the joint opposition for the transition process.
Although Imran is still serving his sentence, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had also declared that he was convicted unlawfully and called on the Maldivian government for his immediate release and compensation.
President-Elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had also met with Sheikh Imran at his residence, post his shift to house arrest on June 26. Imran was the first party leader from the opposition coalition to meet with Solih since the opposition's election victory.
The High Court had earlier overturned Criminal Court’s verdicts on two leaders of the joint opposition, Jumhooree Party's founder Qasim Ibrahim and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
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