A court hearing on Kinbidhoo MP and Jumhoree Party’s deputy leader Abdulla Riyaz’s terrorism charge has been scheduled for Monday at 11am.

In a previous hearing, the former police commissioner said that he was charged in order to sideline him from opposition activities.

MP Riyaz is being charged with conspiring to overthrow the government since 2017 from within the parliament. The state has also alleged that Riyaz, along with others, was involved in bringing about the Supreme Court order on February 1 that had threatened national security.

If found guilty he will face a prison sentence of 17 to 20 years.

Riyaz is already serving a prison sentence of four months and 24 days for obstruction of a state official. The Criminal Court found him not guilty of the charge but the High Court had overruled after an appeal from the state.