Ambassador to Sri Lanka stands by threat to detain Nasheed
The ambassador-designate’s remarks prompted the opposition leader’s high-profile counsel Amal Clooney to warn that “any attempt by a Maldivian diplomat to detain President Nasheed in Sri Lanka would constitute a violation of international law as well as Sri Lankan criminal law.”
18 Sep 2017, 9:00 AM
The ambassador-designate to Sri Lanka has stood by threats to detain former President Mohamed Nasheed after the exiled opposition leader’s high-profile international lawyers expressed concern about their client’s safety.
Mohamed Hussain Shareef ‘Mundhu’ told the pro-government Sun TV last week that the Maldivian embassy would enforce orders to detain Nasheed in Colombo and return him to the Maldives to serve his 13-year jail sentence on a terrorism conviction.
The remarks prompted Nasheed’s international counsel Amal Clooney to warn that “any attempt by a Maldivian diplomat to detain President Nasheed in Sri Lanka would constitute a violation of international law as well as Sri Lankan criminal law.”
The heavyweight human rights lawyer added: “President Nasheed should not be returned to the Maldives to serve a sentence that resulted from a sham trial, and it is incumbent on the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure that his rights are respected while he is in their country.”
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