Nasheed charged

Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed has been formally charged with illegally ordering the arrest of a senior judge of the criminal court here, a move that led to widespread protests and finally his ouster.

Maldives Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizz has filed the criminal charge against former Nasheed and his then Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim.

Nasheed and Tholhath stand charged with violating Article 81 of the Penal Code, which states that the detention of a government employee who has not been found guilty of a crime is illegal. If found guilty, Nasheed and Tholhath will face a jail sentence or banishment for three years.