Floodlight on Nasheed’s prison cell amounts to torture, says family

A floodlight aimed at former President Mohamed Nasheed’s prison cell is depriving him of sleep, his family has said.

“It has been at least three weeks since the floodlight has been turned on throughout the night. This amounts to torture, the heat and light is disrupting his sleep,” Nasheed’s brother Nazim Sattar told the Maldives Independent.

“He is also being prevented from exercising as recommended by the doctor,” he added.

Moosa Rameez, the spokesman for the Maldives Correctional Services, denied the claim, saying: “Floodlights are placed on high posts and are lit for security reasons but I can assure you that none are being directly aimed into Nasheed’s cell.