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Former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was released from prison on Sunday, a week after his separated half-brother suffered a shocking electoral defeat.
Gayoom, 80, and his son, Faris Maumoon, were released on bail by the Malé High Court, a week after the spectacular defeat of individual Abdulla Yameen at the polls in the Indian Ocean nation.
Gayoom's daughter, Dunya, a former foreign minister, welcomed this release and hoped that the sentences handed down by other dissidents, including another former leader, Mohamed Nasheed, would be soon withdrawn.
"These are all politically motivated convictions and I hope that they too will soon be overthrown, allowing … Nasheed to go home," said Maumoon by telephone to Male, while Gayoom was going home.
Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected president, was convicted of a terrorism charge and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2015. He was released from prison in 2016 and went to London. for medical treatment.
Nasheed was banned from participating in the presidential election on September 23 because of his conviction, described as a parody of justice by the United Nations.
Former enemies Nasheed and Gayoom both supported Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to challenge Yameen, who had locked up all his main political opponents or forced them to flee the country.
Sunday's release follows calls from President-elect Solih, who urged Yameen to release all political prisoners from the atoll, a tourist paradise, after his dazzling victory last week.
Gayoom had led the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims for 30 consecutive years until his defeat by Nasheed in the first multiparty elections in the country in 2008.
-The bitter brothers-
He supported Yameen against Nasheed in a controversial election in 2013, although the half-brothers disintegrated and became bitter enemies.
Gayoom was arrested in February with the country's Chief Justice and another Supreme Court judge for attempting to overthrow Yameen. He declared the state of emergency of 45 days to block the dismissal.
Gayoom was serving a 19-month sentence of imprisonment for obstruction of justice and was also tried for "terrorism" when the High Court ordered his release.
The ex-ruler had a bail of 60,000 rufiyaa ($ 3,900) and his son Faris at 40,000 rufiyaa, and they were ordered not to travel abroad without l & # 39; 39, leave of the court.
Another high-ranking Maldivian dissident, Qasim Ibrahim, was also released on bail. However, it is not in Maldives. He had been released from prison for medical treatment and stayed in Europe.
Nearly all major opposition leaders and a number of ruling party dissidents had been jailed or exiled in recent years under the leadership of Yameen, who relied heavily on China for political and financial support.
Shortly after his defeat, Yameen released five more political prisoners, but he delayed the release of his half-brother who could have claimed leadership of his party, the PPM.
Yameen assured the party leadership on Friday.
His five-year term as President will end on November 17, when Mr. Solih is sworn in.
