Maldives Correction Service (MCS) is to take action against incarcerated Former President Abdulla Yameen for violating the conditions and terms of his house arrest.

In a Twitter post shortly after the ex-president took part of the opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM)’s rally staged outside of his home on Friday evening by waving the opposition flag from outside his window, Commissioner of Prisons, Ahmed Mohamed Fulhu revealed that the former president’s actions were in violation of the terms and conditions set for his house arrest.

The Commissioner of Prisons then asserted that this will be investigated, and action will be taken.

Yameen was transferred to house arrest on 29 April, after some officers at the Maafushi Prison complex were tested positive for Covid-19. He was among the high-risk convicts transferred to house arrest for their own safety. Yameen participated in Friday evening’s rally by gesturing to his supporters from an open window, waving the opposition and national flags as well as giving the protestors political messages of support.

Ahmed Mohamed Fulhu had earlier revealed that discussions were held on transferring the convicts who were moved to house arrest, back to Maafushi Prison after the Eid-Al-Adha holidays.

At a time it was revealed that the discussions are underway, Maafushi Prison was brought under a state of emergency after a corrections officer contracted coronavirus. Following this, Yameen’s transfer back to prison was delayed indefinitely.

Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison on 28 November 2019, after being found guilty of laundering USD one million through state-owned MMPRC via a private company, Scores of Flair, during his presidential tenure. He was also given a fine totaling USD five million, along with the jail sentence, to be settled within six months.

He is currently being tried for fresh new charges in connection to the leasing of Fuggiri island in Raa atoll, for which the trial is ongoing.