Former President of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said that his brother, former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is currently serving a prison sentence and should not be able to run in a presidential election.

Maumoon made the remark in response to a question this morning on Raajje TV's "Fashaairu" program.

When asked how much is it in the public interest to free the former President, who is serving a prison sentence, and allow him to run in an election, Maumoon said that punishing a person for their crimes is the best course of action.

However, Maumoon said, if Yameen is freed when the trial is overruled or by a decision by the Supreme Court, it's a different situation.

The President of the Maldives Reform Movement (MRM), Maumoon, was also asked if the former Presidents Yameen and Mohamed Nasheed could work in a coalition, Maumoon said that he does not want to comment on it.

He did say that one of them is currently imprisonment so that is not possible. But if the circumstances were different, people of the same thinking can also form a political party.

Maumoon, who served 30 years as the Maldivian President, highlighted that people of the same thinking are currently forming political alliances and political parties.