25 Facts About Abdulla Yameen

Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 2013 to 2018.

Abdulla Yameen was the second democratically elected president of the Republic of the Maldives.

Abdulla Yameen's presidency was rife with allegations of human rights infringements and corruption.

Abdulla Yameen left office on 17 November 2018 following his defeat in the 2018 presidential election to Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Abdulla Yameen served first as Secretary at the Department of Finance and then as Research Officer at the Research and International Organisations Division of the Maldives Monetary Authority.

On his return after completing his postgraduate studies, Abdulla Yameen started serving at Ministry of Trade and Industries.

Abdulla Yameen held many post throughout his career at the ministry and was appointed as Minister of Trade and Industries on 11 November 1993 under president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Under president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Abdulla Yameen held key cabinet positions, first as Minister of Higher Education and then as Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Abdulla Yameen left the party and created his own People's Alliance.

Abdulla Yameen's party contested in the 2009 Maldivian parliamentary election and won 7 seats including him and he gained support of Qasim Ibrahim.

President Abdulla Yameen inaugurated the Sinamale bridge on 30 August 2018.

Abdulla Yameen has initiated a grand housing project called 'Hiyaa' to provide sheltering for an estimated 100,000 people.

On 23 April 2017, Abdulla Yameen Rasheed, a prominent Maldivian blogger, known for his satirical commentaries on the Maldivian political and religious establishment was found with 34 stab wounds in the stairwell of his apartment building in Male.

Abdulla Yameen had previously received multiple death threats which he had reported to the police, but no action was taken.

On 5 February 2018 President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency and ordered the arrest of a number of politicians and officials including two judges of the Supreme Court of the Maldives, including Chief Justice of the Maldives Abdulla Saeed and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Abdulla Yameen was defeated by joint opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in 2018 presidential election held on 23 September 2018.

Abdulla Yameen conceded defeat in a televised statement aired next day.

Abdulla Yameen escaped unhurt, but the first lady, a presidential aide, and a bodyguard were injured.

On 6 February 2019, Abdulla Yameen was charged with theft, money laundering, and giving false statements to police.

Police submitted a report to the nation's General Prosecutor's Office claiming, among other things, that Abdulla Yameen gave false statements when he was being questioned.

Abdulla Yameen was sentenced to 5 years in prison with an additional fine of 5 million dollars owed to the state.

The Supreme Court of Maldives later ruled in favor of an appeal lodged by Abdulla Yameen, which led to his release after spending two years and two days in jail.

Abdulla Yameen was serving his sentence in Maafushi Prison, but moved to home confinement in October 2023.

On 6 August 2023, the Maldives Supreme Court decided that Abdulla Yameen was disqualified from participating.

Abdulla Yameen is married to Fathimath Ibrahim Didi and has three children, two sons and a daughter.