Opposition shares concerns over jailed ex-president's imprisonment with EU officials
PNC's deputy leader, Adam Shareef shared concern over Yameen's "unjust" imprisonment during the meeting
PNC\'s deputy leader and Maduvvari constituency MP Adam Shareef with EU’s Deputy Managing Director for Asia and Pacific Department at the European External Action Service (EEAS) Paola Pampaloni
The opposition met with the visiting European Union (EU) delegation to share concerns over the jailing of leader former President Abdulla Yameen.
Opposition coalition partner, People’s National Congress (PNC)’s deputy leader, and Maduvvari constituency MP Adam Shareef met with the delegation -comprising of EU’s Deputy Managing Director for Asia and Pacific Department at the European External Action Service (EEAS) Paola Pampaloni- on Sunday.
Shareef told RaajjeMV that he had shared concerns over the former president’s “unjust” imprisonment during the meeting, as well as that the challenges faced due to this especially with an election upcoming.
The MP also said that the EU senior official had informed him that the matter will be brought to the EU head office, adding that she had spoken against any inhumane treatment of the former president while in prison.
Yameen was convicted on money-laundering charges on November 28th, for laundering USD through the state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) via a private company SoF, during his presidency. He was sentenced to five years in prison and fined USD five million to be paid within in six months. Earlier this month, the High Court ruled against releasing him on bail.
Opposition officials met with United Kingdom's High Commissioner to Maldives, Caron Rohsler in December, as part of the efforts to free their jailed leader.
Also at Sunday’s meeting, MP Shareef is to have shared issues with the incumbent administration.
The EU delegation is in the Maldives for the for the first Maldives – EU Senior Officials’ Meeting, which was held on Sunday. Prior to the meeting, the delegation called on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
The team has also met with Speaker, former President Mohamed Nasheed, as well as Home Minister Imran Abdulla, and had visited the Asseyri Prison in Himmafushi island on Saturday.
While the opposition, which comprises of former ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), is reaching out to the international community over Yameen’s case, PPM had during its administration called on the international community to stay out of the country's “domestic affairs”.
