COLOMBO: The Maldives has set the date for its subsequent presidential election with incumbent Abdulla Yameen in a commanding position -- and his two primary competitors both in prison or exiled abroad.
Voters within the Indian Ocean archipelago will move to the polls on September 23, officials mentioned past due Thursday, with election government to just accept candidate nominations subsequent month.
But Yameen has moved against possible competitors since profitable a debatable runoff vote against then-president Mohamed Nasheed in 2013, launching a crackdown on dissent that has seen two of the country's former leaders put in the back of bars.
Nasheed was convicted on a terrorism charge in 2015 and handed a 13-year prison sentence. He was allowed to visit London in 2016 for scientific treatment and has remained there in exile since.
Meanwhile Yameen's half brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, a former strongman who ruled the country for 30 years until 2008, is in prison facing terrorism fees for his alleged function in a February Supreme Court ruling that may have ended in Yameen's impeachment.
The courtroom had additionally lead the way for Nasheed's go back to the Maldives after ruling to quash prison convictions against top profile opposition politicians. But its powers have been curtailed after Yameen declared a state of emergency in February and arrested two of the courtroom's judges.
Nasheed plans to contest the presidency with the endorsement of his Maldivian Democratic Party, but election regulations prevent any individual with a prison conviction from contesting.
However, the MDP mentioned Nasheed will post his nomination papers to challenge Yameen, who has omitted UN Human Rights Committee calls to quash Nasheed's conviction.
Colombo-based MDP official Omar Razak mentioned Nasheed will campaign through social media as he can not go back home.
"The authorities have said he cannot contest because of the conviction, but we will go ahead and submit the nominations on his behalf in July," Razak advised AFP.
In 2013, the Supreme Court annulled the results of the primary round of voting when Nasheed was main and two times postponed votes, giving Yameen extra time to organise an electoral pact and narrowly win the run-off.
Voters within the Indian Ocean archipelago will move to the polls on September 23, officials mentioned past due Thursday, with election government to just accept candidate nominations subsequent month.
But Yameen has moved against possible competitors since profitable a debatable runoff vote against then-president Mohamed Nasheed in 2013, launching a crackdown on dissent that has seen two of the country's former leaders put in the back of bars.
Nasheed was convicted on a terrorism charge in 2015 and handed a 13-year prison sentence. He was allowed to visit London in 2016 for scientific treatment and has remained there in exile since.
Meanwhile Yameen's half brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, a former strongman who ruled the country for 30 years until 2008, is in prison facing terrorism fees for his alleged function in a February Supreme Court ruling that may have ended in Yameen's impeachment.
The courtroom had additionally lead the way for Nasheed's go back to the Maldives after ruling to quash prison convictions against top profile opposition politicians. But its powers have been curtailed after Yameen declared a state of emergency in February and arrested two of the courtroom's judges.
Nasheed plans to contest the presidency with the endorsement of his Maldivian Democratic Party, but election regulations prevent any individual with a prison conviction from contesting.
However, the MDP mentioned Nasheed will post his nomination papers to challenge Yameen, who has omitted UN Human Rights Committee calls to quash Nasheed's conviction.
Colombo-based MDP official Omar Razak mentioned Nasheed will campaign through social media as he can not go back home.
"The authorities have said he cannot contest because of the conviction, but we will go ahead and submit the nominations on his behalf in July," Razak advised AFP.
In 2013, the Supreme Court annulled the results of the primary round of voting when Nasheed was main and two times postponed votes, giving Yameen extra time to organise an electoral pact and narrowly win the run-off.
Maldives sets presidential vote with opposition in jail or exile
![Maldives sets presidential vote with opposition in jail or exile]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 08, 2018
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