Man jailed for 10 years for death threats against ex-President Nasheed
During the police investigation and subsequent trial at the Criminal Court, Yafis made further threats to kill Nasheed.
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Ismail Yafis, who was arrested in 2021 for threatening to kill former President Mohamed Nasheed, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Yafis was arrested after he threatened Nasheed—then Speaker of Parliament—who was abroad at the time. The threat, made on Facebook while Yafis was in R. Meedhoo, stated that he would “do what he did to Abu Jahl on the day of the Battle of Badr” if Nasheed returned to the Maldives.
During the police investigation and subsequent trial at the Criminal Court, Yafis made further threats to kill Nasheed.
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, Yafis was convicted on three charges, totalling 10 years in prison, following four years in detention. The charges were:
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Supporting a terrorist organisation: 2 years
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Threatening to commit an act of terrorism: 3 years
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Encouraging an act of terrorism: 5 years
Yafis was first convicted in 2006 in a drug-related case and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He was released in 2008 under an amnesty granted by then-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
In 2009, he was arrested again on drug charges and returned to prison to serve the remainder of his previous sentence. He was released in 2011 under the Second Chance Programme of the Nasheed administration.
In 2015, he was arrested and jailed in connection with another case. The remaining 10 years of his sentence were later pardoned by the previous government.
