The former president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, has been subjected to a travel ban, preventing him from leaving the capital Male.
A court ruled that Nasheed needs to seek the court’s permission if he wants to leave the capital, a move which, according to the court, is standard procedure ahead of the several court cases he is facing.
Supporters of Nasheed have criticised the travel ban and accused the government of restricting the former president’s ability to campaign for elections next year.
"The regime fears Nasheed will win an election. So they plan to convict him of something so they can prevent him from standing. They know their grip on power is dependent on removing Nasheed from the political equation," Mr Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said in a statement.
The former president says he was forced to resign in February after a coup by his deputy Mohamed Waheed and security forces.
However a domestic inquiry, supported by the Comomnwealth, found that Nasheed had stepped down voluntarily.
