Former President of the Maldives Facing Criminal Charges
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Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images(MALE, Maldives) — Just two days after his hasty resignation, Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives, faced possible arrest and criminal charges Thursday, The New York Times reports.
Supporters waited with Nasheed, who stayed in his home in the capital city of Male Thursday after the Criminal Court of the Maldives issued arrest warrants against the former president and the former minister of defense there.
“We are waiting for the police to come arrest President Nasheed right now,” former foreign minister Ahmed Naseem said in a phone interview Thursday, according to the Times.
Nasheed claimed in a live television interview on a national network Thursday that security officers forced him to resign and that democracy was at stake with the new government.
Nasheed and his supporters claim they have no idea what the former president could be charged for. On Wednesday, Nasheed was among the dozens of protesters injured after riot police used tear gas to control the violent crowds, BBC News reported.
Police in Male declined to give explanation for the charges against Nasheed. However, a police spokesman did confirm the discovery of bottles of alcohol in the official presidential residence, the Times reports. Possession of alcohol is generally forbidden in the Muslim nation.
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