Interim Home Minister and Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Dr. Mohamed Shainee has stated the clemency for former President Mohamed Nasheed or any other individual was not part of the negotiations with the opposition.
Speaking in the press conference held in Home Ministry, Dr. Shainee, who was also one of the negotiators in the discussions, stated that President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Qayyoom had always stressed on following the set legal processes. He stated that President Yameen had added that once the legal processes were completed, then the President can offer some form of clemency, if applicable.
He noted that President Yameen will try to offer clemency within the means of the law and clause 18 (a) of the Clemency Act.
Dr. Shainee stated that President Yameen had not instructed any measures on clemency for Nasheed, for either Home Ministry or Correctional Services. He added that opposition MDP had proposed clemency for Nasheed as part of the negotiations, but that aspect had not been decided on in the negotiations.
Therefore, Dr. Shainee said that those documents allegedly dictating that Nasheed can serve his whole sentence under house arrest, were untrue. He added that the Maldivian High Commission in Sri Lanka had not stated that Nasheed’s detention has been formally changed to a house arrest. The Government had issued a press release refuting such reports.
Additionally, Dr. Shainee said that the alleged documents were received by the legal team on the 19th of July. He added that the legal team had not attempted to verify the document in spite of the lengthy period they had to do so.
Dr, Shainee said that even though Nasheed has been transferred to jail, negotiations will proceed as planned and that the Government was willing to engage in negotiations.
Have not agreed for clemency for anyone: Dr. Shainee
