The Supreme Court has on Thursday issued an order to suspend Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Imran Abdulla’s 12-year prison sentence.

The order was issued to the correctional service and the police service on Thursday following Imran’s request to review his case.

The apex court ordered authorities to suspend his sentence until it completes its review of the Criminal Court’s sentence against the opposition leader.

Imran, who was under house arrest at the time of ruling, was sentenced to 12 years on 16 February 2016 after being found guilty of a state terrorism charge, alleging that a speech he gave at the mass protest in May 2015 incited unrest.

His conviction was upheld by the High Court in August 2017 and the Supreme Court rejected his appeal the first time he filed it.

Immediately following the suspension of his sentence on Thursday, Imran joined the celebrations regarding the return of fellow opposition leader, former President Mohamed Nasheed.

While Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in jail in March 2015, Supreme Court issued the same order suspending the enforcement of his sentence, this Tuesday.