The Maldives National Party's (MNP) President Mohamed Nazim on Thursday, expressed concern over former President Abdulla Yameen's prison sentence on Thursday evening.
This is the first time Nazim, who was jailed during Yameen's administration, has spoken in defence of Yameen.
Nazim, who is also running for president, was part of the coalition that was formed in 2018 to defeat Yameen then. Although Nazim and his political party have recently criticised the current administration, they have not openly defended Yameen until now.
"I am deeply concerned that this election is around the corner, and when I have said I will contest in the presidential race, a leader of a party is in jail. Yameen should not be in jail. He should be able to contest in the presidential elections," Dhangethi MP Nazim said, at a meeting organised by MNP.
Nazim, who was the defence minister during Yameen's administration, was jailed after the police raided his house at night, and he was subsequently accused of keeping a gun in his house. Prior to his arrest, Nazim held a press conference and said no one was safe while Yameen was in office.
However, last night, Nazim said that the reason he believes Yameen should not be in jail is because he was at a low point while he was jailed and therefore understands what Yameen must be feeling now.
"My family and I don't want anyone to go to jail on any day. I'll never want to. Jail is not an easy place," Nazim said.
He added that though he was kept in an airconditioned prison cell, spending even two days alone by oneself can give a sense of weakness. That's why he's not going to support the jailing of people, said Nazim, who spent twenty years as a soldier.
He said that Maldives should let go of its tradition of jailing former presidents and the MNP was trying to come to office to resolve such matters.
Recalling his days in jail, Nazim said that he had an eight-year-old boy at the time, and that he had to send him to a foreign boarding school because of the potential for harassment. As a result, he said that he does not have the kind of familial relationship with his son that a father and son should share.
Nazim said it happened because he could not spend time with his son, and that's why he does not want Yameen to be in such a situation. "So Yameen should get justice," he added.
While there were many people implicated in the MMPRC corruption scandal, he said that Yameen was the only person who was being penalised. He said that it should not be handled in this manner and that he believes in delivering equal justice to all.
Nazim had previously said he would never forget the atrocities he suffered during Yameen's administration and that he would never work with him politically, even if he had forgiven Yameen for the torture he endured in prison for three and a half years.
In a recent interview with Mihaaru News a month ago, Nazim said he would not work under Yameen's leadership and that "there is no coalition I can form" if Yameen comes to power again.
"I will not work with President Yameen. But we can also work with the PPM. I can also work with another party," Nazim tweeted.
"If our party's executive council decides [to work with President Yameen's leadership], I will walk away and give the party a chance. I will not work with President Yameen under his leadership. No one can change that."
Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2022 after he was found guilty of bribery and money laundering charges in the MMPRC corruption scandal. He was also fined USD five million. Therefore, Yameen will be unable to run for president as long as his verdict is maintained.
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