The Government has today restricted President Nasheed’s visitation rights to only spouses, parents and children. Over the last 3 and half months of detention, President Nasheed had been allowed visits from his siblings and members of his extended family. Today’s arbitrary change was announced suddenly and does not seem to be a reflection of any established procedures or regulations governing the Maldives Correctional Service.

President Nasheed’s family were informed of these restrictions via a phone call from an official at the Maafushi prison to a non-family member. These changes come at a time where President Nasheed’s lawyers were denied their weekly visit – without rationale – on Wednesday, and while it has been over a month since he has been denied a MRI scan recommended by doctors at Maafushi Health Centre and the Military clinic in Male’. The MRI can only be done in Male’ and the authorities denied him the scan even though they brought him to Male’ on 22 May.

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