Mohamed Nasheed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mohamed Nasheed
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މުހައްމަދު ނަޝީދު
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Nasheed in 2022
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| 4th President of the Maldives | |
| In office 11 November 2008 – 7 February 2012 |
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| Vice President | Mohammed Waheed Hassan |
| Preceded by | Maumoon Abdul Gayoom |
| Succeeded by | Mohammed Waheed Hassan |
| 19th Speaker of the People's Majlis | |
| In office 29 May 2019 – 13 November 2023 |
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| President | Ibrahim Mohamed Solih |
| Preceded by | Qasim Ibrahim |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Aslam |
| President of the Maldivian Democratic Party | |
| In office 30 August 2014 – 21 June 2023 |
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| Vice President | Mohamed Shifaz |
| Preceded by | Ibrahim Didi |
| Succeeded by | Ibrahim Mohamed Solih |
| Member of the People's Majlis | |
| In office 28 May 2019 – 28 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Constituency | Machangolhi Medhu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 May 1967 Malé, Maldives |
| Political party | The Democrats (since 2023) |
| Other political affiliations |
Maldivian Democratic Party (until 2023) |
| Spouses |
Laila Ali Abdulla
(m. 1994; div. 2021)Yumna Rushdi
(m. 2024) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Liverpool John Moores University |
| Religion | Islam |
| Signature |  |
Mohamed Nasheed (born 17 May 1967), also known as Anni, is a politician and activist from the Maldives. He served as the president of the Maldives from 2008 to 2012. He was also the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis (the Maldivian parliament) from 2019 to 2023.
Nasheed was the first president of the Maldives to be chosen in a democratic election. He is also the only president to have resigned from his position. He is a founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party. Currently, he is a member of The Democrats political party.
Born in Malé, Nasheed studied abroad before returning home. He became involved in political activism. He was elected to Parliament in 1999 but faced challenges and was arrested many times. His arrest in 2005 led to public protests. In 2008, he won the presidential election, defeating Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Gayoom had been president for 30 years. As president, Nasheed worked to bring attention to how climate change affects the Maldives.
On 7 February 2012, Nasheed resigned during a time of political unrest. He said he was forced to resign. His successor, Mohammed Waheed Hassan, said the resignation was voluntary. An investigation later found no evidence to support Nasheed's claim of being forced out. In 2015, Nasheed was found guilty of a charge related to an arrest he ordered as president. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Human rights groups called this politically motivated. In 2016, he received asylum in the United Kingdom. In 2018, his conviction was overturned. He returned to the Maldives and became Speaker of Parliament in 2019.
On 6 May 2021, there was an attempt to assassinate Nasheed near his home. He was seriously injured by a bomb. He needed several surgeries and recovered in Germany. Maldivian authorities believe it was a terrorist attack.
Contents
Early Life and Activism
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Mohamed Nasheed was born in Malé, Maldives. He grew up in a middle-class family. He went to school in the Maldives and then in Sri Lanka. In 1982, he moved to England to finish his high school education. After that, he studied maritime studies at Liverpool John Moores University. He graduated in 1989.
Nasheed became involved in politics early on. He was arrested in 1991 for an article he wrote. The article suggested that the government had cheated in an election. Amnesty International called him a "prisoner of conscience." This means they believed he was jailed for his beliefs. He was arrested many times during the rule of President Gayoom. Despite this, he spent time studying and wrote three books about Maldivian history.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1999, Nasheed was elected as a Member of Parliament for Malé. However, he was later forced to leave his position. This was due to a charge that many believed was politically motivated. He was exiled for a period.
In 2003, a prison riot and the death of a prisoner led to protests. This was a turning point for the Maldives. In November 2003, Nasheed left the Maldives. He helped start the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) from outside the country. The British government recognized him as a political refugee in 2004.
Nasheed returned to the Maldives in 2005. He began promoting the MDP even before it was officially recognized. Once political parties were allowed, he worked hard to gain support for the MDP. On 12 August 2005, he was arrested again during a protest. This arrest led to more public unrest in Malé.
Presidency
2008 Presidential Election
In 2008, Mohamed Nasheed ran for president. His running mate was Mohammed Waheed Hassan. This was the first time the Maldives held a multi-party presidential election. In the first round, Nasheed came in second. He then faced the current president, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, in the second round.
Nasheed received support from other candidates who did not win the first round. He and Waheed won the election with 54.25% of the votes. On 11 November 2008, Nasheed and Waheed were sworn in as president and vice president.
Government and Policies
President Nasheed formed his first cabinet with 14 ministers. He created the first Islamic Ministry in the Maldives. Over time, some parties left his coalition government. By the end of his first year, his cabinet mostly had ministers from his own party.
Nasheed focused on the threat of rising sea levels to the low-lying islands of the Maldives. In 2009, he promised to make the Maldives carbon-neutral within ten years. This meant using only wind and solar power. He believed this would not cost more than what the Maldives already spent on energy.
To highlight climate change, Nasheed held the world's first underwater cabinet meeting. This happened on 17 October 2009, off the island of Girifushi. The meeting participants wore scuba diving gear underwater. The next month, Nasheed started the Climate Vulnerable Forum. This group helps countries most affected by climate change.
Political Challenges and Resignation
During his presidency, Nasheed faced political challenges. In June 2010, his cabinet ministers resigned. They protested that opposition members of parliament were making it hard for them to do their jobs. Nasheed later reappointed his ministers. However, parliament voted to reject some of them. This led to disagreements between the government and parliament.
On 7 February 2012, President Nasheed resigned. This happened during a period of protests and political unrest. He stated that he resigned to prevent more suffering for the people. He hoped his resignation would help the Maldives achieve a strong democracy. His vice president, Mohammed Waheed Hassan, became the new president.
Nasheed later said he was forced to resign. However, an investigation by the Maldives' Commission of National Inquiry found no evidence to support this claim.
After the Presidency
After his resignation, Nasheed continued his activism. He asked the Commonwealth of Nations to push for new elections in the Maldives. The Commonwealth supported this idea.
Climate Change Advocacy
A documentary called The Island President was made about Nasheed's efforts against climate change. It was filmed in 2009 and 2010. The film won an award at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. It helped spread awareness about his work.
Nasheed spoke at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. He urged world leaders to commit to keeping global warming below 1.5°C. He also appeared in the BBC documentary series Planet Earth III in 2023.
2013 Presidential Election
Nasheed ran for president again in the 2013 Maldivian presidential election. The election faced delays. He won the first round but did not get enough votes to win outright. A second round was planned but cancelled by the Supreme Court. In a rescheduled second round, Abdulla Yameen won the election. Nasheed accepted the defeat.
Legal Challenges
Nasheed faced legal challenges after his presidency. In February 2015, he was arrested again. On 13 March 2015, he was sentenced to thirteen years in Maafushi Prison. This was for a decision he made as president. Human rights groups like Amnesty International criticized the trial. They called it unfair and politically motivated.
In January 2016, Nasheed was allowed to go to the UK for medical treatment. While there, he spoke out about democracy in the Maldives. In May 2016, the UK government gave him political refugee status. On 26 November 2018, the Supreme Court of the Maldives overturned his sentence. They said he had been wrongly charged.
Speaker of Parliament
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On 28 May 2019, Nasheed was elected as Speaker of the People's Majlis. This is the main law-making body of the Maldives. During the pandemic in 2020, he helped the parliament hold online sessions. This allowed all members to participate remotely.
On 13 November 2023, Nasheed resigned from his role as Parliament Speaker. This happened because of a vote to remove him from the position.
2023 Maldivian Democratic Party Primary
In June 2022, Mohamed Nasheed announced he would run for president again. He challenged the current president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, for the Maldivian Democratic Party's nomination. Nasheed lost to President Solih in the party primary election.
Attempted Assassination
On 6 May 2021, an assassination attempt happened near Nasheed's home. A bomb attached to a motorbike exploded as he was getting into his car. Two of his bodyguards, a tourist, and another bystander were also hurt.
Nasheed suffered serious injuries to his head, chest, and other body parts. He had 16 hours of surgery and was in critical condition. Doctors removed many pieces of shrapnel from his body. The bomb was filled with ball bearings to cause more damage. His condition improved, and he was taken off life support a few days later.
On 9 May, the Maldivian police arrested three suspects. They believed the attack was by "religious extremists." On 13 May, Nasheed was flown to Germany for more medical treatment.
Awards and Recognition
Nasheed has received several awards for his work. In May 2009, he got the Coral Cultivation Initiative Award. This was for his efforts to grow coral and raise awareness about climate change. In June 2009, he received the Anna Lindh Award. This recognized his role in bringing democracy to the Maldives.
In September 2009, Time magazine named Nasheed a "Hero of the Environment." On Earth Day 2010, he received the United Nations' Champions of the Earth Award. This award honored him for speaking up about climate change. It also recognized his efforts to show how countries can become climate neutral.
In March 2011, he received the Grand Commander of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean award from Mauritius. In June 2012, he received the James Lawson Award. This award recognized his leadership in fighting for democracy and his nonviolent actions.
Images for kids
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Maafushi Prison
