Those in debt to the state have no human rights: President Yameen

Individuals indebted to the state have no fundamental human rights, Maldivian president Abdulla Yameen has said.

While speaking at a campaign event in Guraidhoo island of Thaa atoll, President Yameen claimed that he is ‘ready’ to send former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb abroad for medical treatment.

The immensely ill former executive, who has been incarcerated on multiple charges of graft and even attempted assassination of the president, must repay the ‘funds he stole’, President Yameen said.

In his speech, President Yameen said that his conflict with his former deputy is a personal matter and that he has ‘no rights’ until he returns the ‘stolen funds’.

“I will not accept it. No matter how in need of medical treatment I will not allow it, not unless all the stolen funds have been returned”, President Yameen said.

Adeeb’s family had released a statement last year claiming that he has developed an internal cyst, kidney stones, and vision impairment from glaucoma since his incarceration in 2015.

They have accused the state of negligence in failing to provide Adeeb with adequate medical care during his isolated incarceration at the prison in Dhoonidhoo Island while the police investigated allegations against him.

Adeeb was sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison on allegations of attempting to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen and for his role in the heavily publicized case of graft involving the state-operated Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation.

After the matter became contentious, with it having been filed at the United Nations and with Amnesty International, Attorney General Mohamed Anil said that the state is refusing to grant Adeeb's medical leave due to threat of flight.

Anil then said that the former vice president owes the state over USD 10 million, and that there is strong reason to believe that he may flee.