“Democracy Under Threat”: Former Presidents Issue Joint Letter

Three former Maldivian presidents, Mohamed Nasheed, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih have issued a rare joint letter raising alarm over what they described as a worsening democratic crisis in the Maldives.

In the letter addressed to international partners, the former leaders condemned the recent imprisonment of journalists Mohamed Shahzan and Leevan Ali Naseer following a court-issued gag order banning discussion of a documentary alleging misconduct by President Mohamed Muizzu.

The three former presidents said the move marked the first time journalists have been jailed in the Maldives since the 2008 democratic constitution, accusing authorities of suppressing press freedom and undermining democratic institutions.

They also warned of broader democratic backsliding, including weakening independent institutions and increased pressure on media outlets, while linking the political situation to the country’s worsening economic condition.

Despite their past political rivalries, the former presidents said they had united “in defence of the democracy our people built,” urging international partners to pressure the Government to release detained journalists and protesters and halt what they described as unlawful prosecutions.