Speaking about the sentencing of former Maldives President Nasheed, Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said:

I am deeply concerned by the sentencing of former President Nasheed to 13 years imprisonment for forceful abduction. Despite the calls from the international community for due process to be followed, we are concerned that the former President’s trial has not been conducted in a transparent and impartial manner or in accordance with due legal process.

If the former President decides to appeal, we will be watching that process closely and hope that the former President will be properly and transparently accorded the rights that every citizen of the Maldives is entitled to.

I recognise that this outcome will be deeply worrying for many in the Maldives. I therefore urge calm across the Maldives and encourage all political parties to act with moderation, restraint and within the bounds of the law.

We have been consulting closely on our concerns with Commonwealth partners, and we will continue to do so over the coming days.

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