Maldives court frees Gayoom

Colombo, October 18

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A Maldivian court overturned the 19-month jail term of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Thursday, a month after the former President's estranged half-brother and jailer suffered a shock election drubbing.

Gayoom, 80, ruled the largely Muslim island nation for 30 straight years until he was defeated at the country's first multi-party elections in 2008. He was arrested in February and accused of participating in an alleged coup during a crackdown on rivals of strongman President Abdulla Yameen, in charges his family and observers said were politically-motivated.

Gayoom was granted bail at the end of September, a week after Yameen lost national elections that had been skewed heavily in his favour.

On Thursday a court in the capital Male quashed Gayoom's conviction for obstruction of justice -- a charge that arose when he refuse to hand over his mobile phone to the police. Gayoom is one of many political opponents and dissidents who were jailed or forced into exile during Yameen's strongman rule.

Mohamed Nasheed, the country's first democratically-elected president, was convicted on a terrorism charge and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2015. — AFP

Was sentenced to 19 months in jail

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, 80, who ruled the largely Muslim island nation for 30 straight years, was arrested in February and accused of participating in an alleged coup. He was sentenced to 19 months in jail.