Maldives strips Nasheed of pension

AFP, COLOMBO: The Maldives on Wednesday stripped jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed of his pension entitlements and health insurance, after demanding he return from medical leave in Britain.
President Abdulla Yameen approved an amendment to a law on entitlements for past presidents, one day after the government cancelled Nasheed’s prison leave and said it expected him to return “expediently”.
The 48-year-old former leader was jailed last year on controversial terrorism charges, but was allowed to travel to Britain in January for treatment after he fell ill in jail.
The government said changes to the law meant former presidents and their spouses are denied entitlements “if they are convicted of any criminal offence (committed) during their term in office”. Nasheed is the only one of the Maldives’ three past presidents with a criminal conviction.
The government, in a statement, said past presidents were normally entitled to an annual pension of $214,000 in addition to medical insurance and unspecified other benefits.

Maldives strips Nasheed of pension

AFP, COLOMBO: The Maldives on Wednesday stripped jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed of his pension entitlements and health insurance, after demanding he return from medical leave in Britain. President Abdulla Yameen approved an amendment to a law on entitlements for past presidents, one day after the government cancelled Nasheeds prison leave and said it expected him to return expediently. The 48-year-old former leader was jailed last year on controversial terrorism charges, but was allowed to travel to Britain in January for treatment after he fell ill in jail. The government said changes to the law meant former presidents and their spouses are denied entitlements if they are convicted of any criminal offence (committed) during their term in office. Nasheed is the only one of the Maldives three past presidents with a criminal conviction. The government, in a statement, said past presidents were normally entitled to an annual pension of $214,000 in addition to medical insurance and unspecified other benefits.