Nasheed to stand for polls

The exiled former leader of the Maldives yesterday announced he would return to run for election as president of the troubled Indian Ocean nation, despite facing jail after a controversial conviction on terror-related charges.

Mohamed Nasheed became the Maldives' first democratically elected president in 2008, but was narrowly defeated in 2013 elections by President Abdullah Yameen.

Nasheed was later jailed on terrorism charges he says were politically motivated. He has lived in exile for the past year after Maldives authorities gave him leave to travel to London for medical treatment.

But yesterday he announced he would contest the 2018 presidential elections, following talks this week in Colombo with his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

"We have decided that the MDP will produce a candidate, I am hopeful to be that candidate," the 49-year-old told reporters in Colombo after talks with party leaders living in exile in the Sri Lankan capital.

Nasheed urged the international community to engage more robustly with Yameen's government and said a number of countries were working behind the scenes, reports Reuters.

"We will continue to work with our international partners to see how they may be able to impress up on President Yameen the need to have an all inclusive elections," he said.

Nasheed is almost certain to be arrested on return to the Indian Ocean archipelago, whose reputation as an upmarket honeymoon destination has been battered by years of political unrest.

He would be able to contest party primaries from outside the country, but would need to return to Male for the election, reports AFP.

The Maldives constitution bars Nasheed from being a candidate because of a 2015 criminal conviction.

But the former leader expects the restriction to be lifted in response to international pressure.

A UN panel has ruled that Nasheed's imprisonment was illegal and ordered the regime to pay him compensation.