The Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM), on Tuesday, decided to file a case at the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office regarding the medical neglect of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom during his prison sentence.
HRCM did not confirm the authority against which the case would be filed. Gayoom was under the watch of Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) during his incarceration.
Gayoom's family lodged the case at HRCM while he was kept in detention. They claimed that the former president was not given access to adequate healthcare although he was suffering from serious medical conditions.
HRCM was heavily criticised for failing to carry out a thorough investigation despite the matter being brought to the commission's attention numerous times.
During his eight-month incarceration following the Supreme Court's landmark ruling of February 1, 2018, Gayoom had to be brought to the capital for treatment several times.
Gayoom, who is over 80 years of age, suffers from a condition known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), which is a type of balance disorder that can cause those afflicted to experience sudden dizziness, difficulty standing, nausea, or fainting.
While he was charged with obstruction of justice, the High Court has since annulled its previous ruling regarding the matter. PG has also retracted terrorism charges against the former president.
Sign In