Maldives will hold its next presidential election on September 23rd with incumbent Abdulla Yameen seeking reelection while his main rivals are either in jail or exiled abroad.
The country’s election commission announced that nominations for elections will be allowed from July 15th to 25th promising to hold a fair and transparent election.
However, the main opposition candidates including former President Mohammed Nasheed have been framed with various charges and are ineligible to participate in the elections.
Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) recently held its primary to formally elect Mr. Nasheed as its candidate but it was obstructed by country’s police through a court order.
MDP said, Mr. Nasheed will submit his nomination papers to challenge Mr. Yameen, who has ignored UN Human rights committee calls to quash the conviction of former President.
Maldives has faced upheavals since February, when President Yameen imposed a 45-day state of emergency to nullify a Supreme Court ruling that quashed the convictions of nine opposition leaders, including Mr. Nasheed.
During the emergency, the government arrested former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the chief justice, another Supreme Court judge and a Supreme Court administrator on charges of trying to overthrow the government.
Source: AIR