Opposition Progressive Congress has asserted that they will boycott the next Presidential Election to be held in 2023, if their leader and incarcerated Former President Abdulla Yameen is not allowed to contest.

Following a question posed by RaajjeMV regarding the party’s decision in any case their leader will not be allowed to contest, the opposition, comprised of Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) asserted that they will not be endorsing candidates, in such a case.

Responding to the question, PNC’s Vice President and former Defense Minister, MP Adam Shareef revealed that he believes Yameen could contest as a free man, if a fair trial is conducted in his money-laundering case, for which he was recently sentenced.

MP Shareef went on to give the party’s assurance that their leader “will be freed” by the time the Presidential Election rolls around.

Highlighting that there are members who are more than capable of being endorsed as candidates for the election, MP Shareef stressed that however, the party stands with endorsing Yameen as their only candidate, and it is the wish of every member.

Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison on 28 November, after being found guilty of laundering U.S dollars through the state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) via a private company SoF, during his presidency. A USD five million fine was also slapped on the former.

While his bail has been appealed at the High Court since, his supporters and members of the opposition continue to call for his release, with the opposition leadership even having met President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to push for their leader’s release.

Yameen appealed his guilty verdict at the High Court on 30 November, after the five-judge bench presiding over his case came to a guilty verdict unanimously, following the evidence and statements supporting it presented by the state and witnesses.

He is currently doing time at the prison facility on Maafushi island of Kaafu atoll.