Former Maldivian president freed from detention

Former Maldivian President and leader of the opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed was freed from detention after he was presented in court Tuesday, an opposition legislator said. Nasheed was ordered to appear again in court in 25 days to face charges raised against him in a case filed by the family of a criminal court judge. "He was presented in court by the police and after a court hearing he was freed but ordered to appear again in 25 days," MDP legislator Imthiyaz Fahumy told Xinhua. Hundreds of Nasheed supporters gathered outside the court premises and staged a demonstration in support of Nasheed calling for his release. Nasheed was arrested on Monday after he failed to appear in court earlier over a case filed by the family of Chief Criminal Judge Abdulla Mohamed who was arrested and detained when Nasheed was President. The MDP said that Nasheed was arrested and taken away by the police while he was taking part in a political rally on an island. A local court had on Sunday issued a warrant to arrest Nasheed over a case filed by the family of Chief Criminal Judge Abdulla Mohamed who was arrested and detained when Nasheed was President. The MDP alleged that the court order was politically motivated to invalidate Nasheed's candidacy for the elections scheduled to be held next year and to deliberately disrupt the MDP's presidential campaign. However, Imad Masood, spokesman for the Maldivian President, rejected claims that the arrest was politically motivated.