President Abdulla Yaameen Abdul Qayyoom has
revealed that the Government had invited the opposition Maldivian
Democratic Party for an exclusive meeting to discuss the possibility of
former President Mohamed Nasheed’s release in order to stop the party
from defaming the Government in front of the international community.
At the press conference held after returning to the Maldives from Malaysia, Thursday night, President Yaameen said the Constitution of Maldives does not allow the President to release a criminal convicted of terrorism.
He also said that it is up to the MDP to show the Government how it could release Nasheed within the legal boundaries.
Earlier this month, a senior Government official had informed RaajjeMV that President Yaameen had asked the Government representatives for all-party talks not to agree to any demands made by the Opposition.
According to the official, President Yaameen had held a special meeting with facilitators as well as Government representatives for the political dialogue, where he highlighted the importance of convincing the MDP and Adhaalath Party to join the talks.
In the meeting, President Yaameen, had reportedly stressed that no Government official should agree to any demands made by the Opposition.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had recently rejected the Government's request for an "exclusive meeting," to explore possible avenues for clemency for former President Nasheed.
Following the Government's announcement to sit down exclusively with MDP, the party noted that it had already publicised its conditions to join the political party talks, reconvened this March by the Government.
Highlighting that the Government, in its invitation, only mentioned the possibility of granting leniency for Nasheed, MDP's Deputy Chairperson Ali Niyaz stated that they are demanding the release of all political prisoners and not just Nasheed.
Furthermore, Niyaz claimed that the party would not join the talks without the Adhaalath Party, who are also seeking the release of their leader, Sheikh Imran Abdulla.
MDP's Chairperson Ali Waheed had recently reiterated that the party would not accept Nasheed’s release as a gesture of goodwill unless the Government also assures that he would be able to contest the 2018 presidential election.
While the Government, in March, said that it had sought the assistance of the United Nations as well as several other friendly countries to convince the MDP to join the all-party talks, MDP’s leader, the former President, has dismissed the all-party talks as “chats between groups compromised through favouritism and intimidation”.
At the press conference held after returning to the Maldives from Malaysia, Thursday night, President Yaameen said the Constitution of Maldives does not allow the President to release a criminal convicted of terrorism.
He also said that it is up to the MDP to show the Government how it could release Nasheed within the legal boundaries.
Earlier this month, a senior Government official had informed RaajjeMV that President Yaameen had asked the Government representatives for all-party talks not to agree to any demands made by the Opposition.
According to the official, President Yaameen had held a special meeting with facilitators as well as Government representatives for the political dialogue, where he highlighted the importance of convincing the MDP and Adhaalath Party to join the talks.
In the meeting, President Yaameen, had reportedly stressed that no Government official should agree to any demands made by the Opposition.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had recently rejected the Government's request for an "exclusive meeting," to explore possible avenues for clemency for former President Nasheed.
Following the Government's announcement to sit down exclusively with MDP, the party noted that it had already publicised its conditions to join the political party talks, reconvened this March by the Government.
Highlighting that the Government, in its invitation, only mentioned the possibility of granting leniency for Nasheed, MDP's Deputy Chairperson Ali Niyaz stated that they are demanding the release of all political prisoners and not just Nasheed.
Furthermore, Niyaz claimed that the party would not join the talks without the Adhaalath Party, who are also seeking the release of their leader, Sheikh Imran Abdulla.
MDP's Chairperson Ali Waheed had recently reiterated that the party would not accept Nasheed’s release as a gesture of goodwill unless the Government also assures that he would be able to contest the 2018 presidential election.
While the Government, in March, said that it had sought the assistance of the United Nations as well as several other friendly countries to convince the MDP to join the all-party talks, MDP’s leader, the former President, has dismissed the all-party talks as “chats between groups compromised through favouritism and intimidation”.
source- https://raajje.mv/61743
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