The President

who went from

throne to the cell

President Nasheed has been found guilty of the terrorism charges levied against him, and he has been
given a jail sentence. This is a time where we should try to learn something from President Nasheeds
life. This is a time to reflect on what he did in order to come to power, what he did while in power, and
the events that lead to his resignation on February 7, 2012.
President Nasheed has a large stake in the formation of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). In
2003, the inception of the MDP was announced in Sri Lanka. The MDP proceeded to forge links with
other countries. The result was that the current government was forced to reckon with the need for
reforms, which lead to the announcement of a reformation agenda by President Maumoon. The
government granted permissions for the formation of political parties. The press was granted unlimited
freedom. A special council for the rectification of the Constitution was established.
In order to step up the issues tabled for reformation by the MDP, President Nasheed travelled to the
United Kingdom and sought residency there in 2004. After an 18-month period of self-exile in the UK,
he returned on 30 April, 2005. The MDP was registered as a political party in the Maldives on 26 June,
2005.
During the MDPs first congress, President Nasheed ran for Chairperson and won. On August 12, 2005,
Nasheed and a group of other activists had a sit-in at the helipad in Male. Under the pretext of keeping
him safe from bodily harm, he was arrested and charged with terrorism.
According to people who know him, President Nasheed is a very single-minded man who neither
considers nor compromises for the opinions of others.
Tensions that arose between the MDP President Ibrahim Ibra Ismail and President Nasheed lead to
Ibras resignation from his post on 2 May, 2006.
After running the MDP as its temporary president for some time, the MDP elected its second president,
Dr Mohamed Munawwar, in June 2007.
In June 2008, President Nasheed and Dr Munawwar ran against each other during the MDP primaries
leading with President Nasheeds victory. People who supported Dr Munawwar claim that the election
was rigged, and that the election involved fraud. Dr Munawwar resigned from his post as MDP president
on 13 August, 2008.

President Nasheed proceeded to run for president in 2008, and he came in second in the first round. He
managed to get 24.91% of the vote.
In the second round, President Nasheed established an alliance with all of the political leaders and
citizens who wished to oust President Maumoon from power. With promises that the political leaders
who joined the coalition would be a part of his administration: he won the second round on 29 October,
2008. As leader of the coalition, President Nasheed was sworn in as President of the Maldives on 11
November, 2008.
Tensions rose between President Nasheed and members of the coalition; first it was with the
Jumhooree Party. After differences arose between President Nasheed and JP leader Qasim Ibrahim;
the coalition suffered a crack after Qasim Ibrahim resigned from his post as Home Minister. After Qasim
Ibrahims exit from government, doubts were cast as to whether the coalition government could be
maintained.
In 2009, when the Opposition to President Nasheeds administration managed to gain a majority in the
Citizens Majlis, it was certain that governance would be very difficult for him.
If we consider some of the big events of President Nasheeds presidency, we recall the so-called
protection given to current President Abdulla Yameen at Aarah. Under police supervision, against his
will, current President Abdulla Yameen was taken to Aarah on 14 July, 2010. He was returned to his
home on 23 July, 2010.
In addition, locking the gates of the Supreme Court was another event that occurred during his reign.
On 7 August, 2010: the gates of the Supreme Court were padlocked by order of President Nasheed.
This issue was ended once the Citizens Majlis was forced to assign new judges to the Supreme Court.
The next biggest opposition to President Nasheeds regime was the 23 December protest. Religious
scholars and opposition political leaders united under the claim that President Nasheeds administration
was responsible for a number of anti-Islamic and illegal activities. This protest proved to be very
detrimental to President Nasheeds government.
The next challenge to President Nasheeds administration came when current VP Dr Mohamed Jameel
was arrested a number of times, under the claim that he had been propagating lies against the
government. Dr Jameel was first arrested on the night of 13 January, 2012. Every night after that, he
was brought to the police and placed under arrest; leading to the frustration of the Opposition.
On the night of 16 January, 2012, the High Judge of the Criminal Court Abdullah Mohamed was placed
under arrest. This became the core crime for which President Nasheed has been found guilty. There is
no room to debate that Judge Mohameds 22-day arrest was illegal.
As a result of misused and abused power, President Nasheeds short term as President came to a
quick end on February 7, 2012; with his resignation after weeks of protests from the Opposition.
In the political arena, the scene of President Nasheed being convicted of a crime and then arrested
would be a very powerful one. The execution of his sentence would also be a very powerful scene. A
journalist who called for freedom became a political criminal. After that he became a Parliamentarian.
After which, he was found guilty of theft and exiled. From the chair of a political party he became a
presidential candidate. After becoming President of the Republic, and having the noble titles attached to

him, he has now been condemned to the prison cell. Such is the way of the world. Anyone who wishes
to learn the moral of this story is free to do so.