The UK authorities have granted refugee status to the former president of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for breaking the law on terrorism, Reuters reported quoting Nasheed’s lawyer.

In January the authorities of Maldives allowed Nasheed to visit Great Britain for medical treatment. The ex-president was released on the condition that after operation will return to the country for serving remaining prison term.

"Nasheed has been granted political refugee status in the UK," Hasan Latheef, Nasheed's lawyer said.

 Mohamed Nasheed became the first democratically elected president of the Republic of Maldives in 2008, but was overthrown in 2012 and was convicted of terrorist activities in March 2015. According to the official charges, Nasheed committed a number of offenses falling under the act of terrorism. Arrest and detention of the former president caused condemnation from the international community which considers that the procedure was not in accordance with the standards of the trial, RIA Novosti reported.