India 'dismayed' over ex-president's sentencing after 'unfair' trial

India is 'dismayed' over the prison sentences of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and the two Supreme Court justices, and questioned the credibility of the upcoming presidential elections.

A statement released by India's Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that it learned of their sentencing "with deep dismay", and highlighted that it was done so "without fair trial".

"This casts doubt on the commitment of the Government of Maldives to uphold the rule of law and will also call into question the credibility of the entire process of presidential elections in September this year", reads the statement.

India noted that it has repeatedly called on the Maldivian government "to allow all institutions, including the Supreme Court and the Parliament, to function in a free and independent manner, and to permit genuine political dialogue between all political parties", highlighting that this has been the demand of the international community.

Noting that it believes that "a democratic, stable and prosperous" Maldives is in the interest off neighbouring countries, India reiterated its call on the Maldives "to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by immediately releasing political prisoners including former President Gayoom and Chief Justice Saeed and creating the necessary conditions for the participation of all political forces in the presidential elections".

The last time India issued a statement regarding the Maldives was in late February, over the government's decision to extend the controversial state of emergency.

While India called the extension "unconstitutional", the Maldivian government accused it of distorting facts and ignoring the facts and ground realities in the Maldives.

Relations between Maldives and India has been shaky lately, especially with China's growing influence in the archipelago nation. Things have gotten so bad that Maldives has asked India to take back the two helicopters it had gifted, and a prominent member of the ruling party was denied entry into India last week.