MALI, Maldives, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The deposed president of the island nation of Maldives announced Thursday that he expects to wake up in a jail cell by Friday.
London this week issued a travel advisory for the Maldivian capital Male after an apparent coup forced Mohamed Nasheed out of office. He was quoted early on in The Wall Street Journal as saying remaining in office would "increase (the country's) problems" but later said he was forced to resign at gunpoint.
By Thursday, he said he expected to wind up in jail.
"The home minister has pledged (I will be) the first former president to spend all my life in jail," he was quoted by The Guardian newspaper in London as saying. "The facts on the ground are that tomorrow I will be in jail."
Amnesty International said it had evidence that at least 40 demonstrators were beaten by Maldivian police during clashes Wednesday. One witness told the rights organization the former president was whisked away by police with blood covering his face.
Sami Zarif, Asia Pacific director for Amnesty International, said, in a statement, that his organization was "extremely" concerned about the situation in Maldives.
"The new authorities must ensure the right to freedom of expression and assembly and we want to see an investigation into the attack on Mohamed Nasheed and other protesters," he said. "Those responsible for the attack on demonstrators must be brought to justice."
