The United States has called the trial against former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom "unfair".
In a tweet sent out shortly after the former president was found guilty of obstruction and sentenced to nearly two years in prison, US Ambassador to the Maldives highlighted that any trial held without any defence lawyers or witnesses "will always result in an unfair sentence".
Further noting that judges "cannot serve the cause of fair and impartial justice if they fear the Executive", Ambassador Keshap questioned on when the Maldivian people will "see the restoration of rule of law".
An unfair trial - with no defense witnesses or even defense lawyers -will always result in an unfair sentence. Judges cannot serve the cause of fair and impartial justice if they fear the Executive. When will the people of #Maldives see the restoration of #RuleofLaw ? https://t.co/N3ruwJ7lzy
— Atul Keshap (@USAmbKeshap) June 13, 2018
Former President Maumoon was arrested in February on charges of attempting to overthrow the government of his half-brother, President Abdulla Yameen. While he was also charged with obstruction of justice, the court of Wednesday found him guilty and sentenced him to one year, seven months and six days in prison.
Maumoon, the longest serving leader of the nation, denied the charges against him and called his trial unfair. However, presiding judge Haseen Najeeb maintained that the trial had gone in accordance to law.
He is the second former president to be jailed in incumbent President Yameen's administration.
