Maldives Immigration has stated the Yemeni national Yasir Yahya was kept in detention after he refused to leave the Maldives despite multiple orders.
Immigration released a statement on Yasir Yahya following his death while being detained since 2017 based on alleged links with terrorism. Yahya had been on a hunger strike in prison, and was taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) on July 21 after his health had deteriorated. He passed away at IGMH on August 2.
Following his death, Immigration released a statement explaining Yahya was apprehended as he was deemed a threat to national security due to a history of terrorist activities. Immigration stated Yahya was ordered on three separate occasions to leave the Maldives on his own, which he refused. The authority said Yahya was detained on March 2, 2017 following his refusal to leave the country.
Immigration further revealed Yahya had first entered the Maldives in 2014 on a tourist visa and married a Maldivian the same year. Immigration said he was being monitored by Maldives Police Service (MPS) based on intelligence information indicating he had strong connections with the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation. In this regard, the authority revealed Yahya had completed high-level training from Al-Qaeda, and had played an active role in planning and coordinating terrorist activities around the world. The authority also noted Yahya had developed connections with Maldivians arrested in relation to terrorist activities, and had also travelled between countries with invalid travel documents.
Furthermore, Immigration stated information on Yahya had been shared on multiple occasions with the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) to clarify concerns regarding his health and safety, while he was under detention. Immigration also revealed the information was relayed to the government of Yemen, adding a request had also been made to seek the travel documents needed to deport him involuntarily as he refused to cooperate with the multiple efforts for voluntary repatriation.
Yahya had first gone on a hunger strike last year before he resumed eating after being hospitalised. He was taken to hospital again last month after a second hunger strike badly deteriorated his health.