Faris Maumoon declared ‘prisoner of conscience’
Faris Maumoon faces ‘trumped up charges’ says Amnesty.
12 Jul 2018, 9:00 AM
Lawmaker Faris Maumoon was Thursday declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, which said the Maldives government was choking dissent and convicting opposition members in trials that did not meet international standards.
Faris, who is the son of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and the nephew of President Abdulla Yameen, faces criminal charges that the rights group has called “trumped up.”
The rights group defines a prisoner of conscience as someone who has not used or advocated violence but is jailed because of who they are or what they believe.
Faris was freed from custody in January while standing trial for bribery, only to be arrested days later on his uncle’s orders for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government with the help of politicians and bribing politicians.
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