Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has refuted claims it has been denying lawyer meetings to former President Abdulla Yameen, who is serving a 5-year prison sentence for money laundering.
Responding to a statement by the legal team of Yameen, MCS said a special procedure is in place amid the COVID-19 situation for the arrangement of lawyer meetings for inmates. MCS said the legal team of the former president had been asked to submit the request for lawyer meeting within the new policy, with information on the new policy provided to both the inmate and the lawyers.
MCS expressed concerns over the misleading statement issued by the legal team of Yameen, noting it had not denied lawyer meetings to the former president. MCS said the letter issued to Yameen’s lawyers on July 14 clearly stated a lawyer meeting can be arranged within the new policy and procedures in place. MCS added the request form for meetings with inmates can now be emailed at any time to the institution.
Former President Yameen was sentenced to 5 years in prison by the Criminal Court of the Maldives on November 28, 2019 after he was found guilty of laundering USD 1 million acquired through the corruption scandal of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).