Speaker of the Parliament, former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that the previous government amended the Former Presidents Act to deny former Presidents protection and benefits if they receive a criminal conviction as a means to target him specifically.

Speaking at the parliament today regarding the amendment to change the law back to how it was before the amendment during the Presidency of Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, former President Nasheed said that the amendment then targeted him.

He said that the law was change and the right to protection and benefits were denied and such things for any president is not in the spirit of the Constitution. Nasheed said that it is why the law should be changed back to how it was.

Currently, the law denies any protection or benefits to former presidents and their spouse if a court finds them guilty of a crime during their presidency. And it is applicable to presidents before the amendment was in effect.

The new amendment states that the if a criminal conviction is made a by a court after the amendment takes effect.