The High Court in the Maldives has overturned the conviction and 11-year prison sentence of former president Abdulla Yameen on charges of graft and money laundering. This decision clears the path for his release from jail. A three-judge bench in the island nation deemed Yameen's trial in 2022 as unfair and has instructed the lower court to commence the criminal proceedings anew.

"The lower court ruling was not fair," Judge Hassan Shafeeu said while reading out a lengthy decision that was broadcast live.

In December 2022, Yameen was found guilty of corruption and money laundering stemming from kickbacks received from a private company during his presidency from 2013 to 2018. The trial court concluded that Yameen had accepted a bribe in exchange for granting a lease on a small island for tourism development.

The verdict came ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections, in which Yameen is fielding candidates from a political party he formed while serving his sentence.

Yameen's Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) was part of the opposition coalition that initiated the 'India Out' campaign, aiming to capitalise on anti-India sentiments.

During Yameen's administration, Maldives' relationship with India deteriorated significantly as it veered closer to China. This shift was evidenced by the Maldives' participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and the signing of a Free Trade Agreement with Beijing.

Yameen solidified his control by incarcerating or forcing into exile potential challengers, while also moving the Maldives away from its longstanding allies and embracing China for investment. Remarkably, he even imprisoned his own half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had mentored him in politics and served as president for 30 years until 2008.

Yameen's authoritarian methods ultimately resulted in his removal from power in the 2018 elections. Despite attempting to hold onto power following the victory of the relatively unknown Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, pressure from the United States threatening sanctions compelled him to step down.

Yameen's subsequent conviction on corruption charges and his imprisonment seemed to mark the end of his political career, only to be overturned by the high court after his ally came to power last year.

Image source: AFP