The list of targeted sanctions for Maldives adopted back in 2018 is real and had 50 names, says Member of European Parliament, Tomáš Zdechovský.

Joining RaajjeTV for an exclusive interview during his trip to the island nation, the MEP confirmed that there was a sanctions list containing 50 names and despite their strong denial, included now incarcerated former president Abdulla Yamaeen, as well as those around him and the Head of the Army, intelligence and police officers, government officials and those who were manipulated with the presidential elections that took place in September that year.

Zdechovský told RaajjeTV that the list, prepared by intelligence of six European countries, was compiled in secrecy and that they were prepared to put it on the table.

Highlighting that they had collected a “lot” of information within an year, Zdechovský stated that they had compiled a list of bank accounts of the 50 individuals.

Zdechovský, who boasted that it was very well prepared, highlighted that the then-administration had no clue as to what was going on nor did they have any information.

He added that the former Ambassador of Maldives to EU pronounced the situation “disastrous” and attempted to play the blame game.

While the sanctions were stemmed from long-drawn-out deterioration of the political situation in the country back then, Zdechovský described the current situation of the Maldives to have “changed a lot” since the new administration took office.

The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union adopted a framework for targeted restrictive measures against persons and entities responsible for undermining the rule of law and obstructing an inclusive political solution in the Maldives and those responsible for “serious human rights violations” on 16 July 2018.

The measure to impose travel bans and an asset freeze on relevant individuals and entities came after months of worsened human rights situations in the country, considered by the Foreign Affairs Council as violating the principles of democratic rule and separation of powers.

Although the council had called on the then-administration of Yameen to engage with the opposition leaders in “genuine” dialogue that enables a credible, transparent and inclusive presidential elections which took place in September 2018, the then-president and now incarcerated opposition leader claimed that this was an attempt to “influence the elections”, accusing the EU of undermining a presidential candidate’s electoral rights.

Back in 2018, Zdechovský, along with two other European officials visited Maldives to meet with the then-Joint opposition and to observe the political situation in the island nation ahead of the presidential elections, during which the delegation observed several attacks on democratic principles. This was at a time the Yameen authoritarian rule was unlawfully imprisoning politicians and judges, removing opposition lawmakers and heavily involved in electoral fraud and manipulation.