Mohamed Nasheed (Dhivehi: ?????????? ??????; born 17 May 1967) is a Maldivian marine scientist, environmental activist, politician, and convicted felon who served as the fourth President of the Maldives from 2008 to 2012.[1][2] He is one of the founders of the Maldivian Democratic Party.In the October 2008 presidential election, Nasheed, as the candidate of the first opposition coalition, defeated then-current President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had ruled as President until that time for 30 continuous years in the second round election, assuming office on 11 November 2008.On 7 February 2012 Nasheed resigned in front of local media from his presidency under disputed circumstances, following weeks of protests by the opposition which had then been joined by majority of military and police forces. The next day, Nasheed stated that these protesters had joined with "powerful networks" of Gayoom loyalists to force his resignation in a coup d'tat,[3] and that he was forced to resign "at gunpoint" by police and army officers.[4] Nasheed's successor Mohammed Waheed Hassan, who had been a 2003 political appointee of President Maumoon Gayoom, denied these claims and stated that the transfer of power was voluntary and constitutional. The Maldives' National Commission of Inquiry stated that it had found no evidence to support Nasheed's version of events.[5]In March 2015, Nasheed was convicted on terrorism charges for abducting Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed during his presidency and was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being found guilty.[6] He was charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act of Maldives.[7] Amnesty International have described the conviction as "politically motivated"[7][8] and the United States Department of State expressed concern at "apparent lack of appropriate criminal procedures during the trial".[6]