Laila Ali Abdulla ( dv, ލައިލާ އަލީ އަބްދުالله) is a Maldivian activist and

First Lady of the Maldives First Lady of the Maldives is the title attributed to the wife of the president of the Maldives. The title of First Lady is utilized by the government and official publications. The country's current first lady is Fazna Ahmed, wife of President I ...

from 11 November 2008 until 7 February 2012. She is the wife of the fourth

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the second Republic of the

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

Mohamed Nasheed Mohamed Nasheed GCSK (; born 17 May 1967) is a Maldivian politician and activist currently serving as the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis since May 2019. A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, he served as President of the ...

and mother of two girls Meera Laila Nasheed & Zaaya Laila Nasheed.

Activism Work

Abdulla's husband, Mohammed Nasheed, was the Maldives first democratically elected president (2008–2012). In 2014, Nasheed was found guilty of terrorism on false charges and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Ali Abdulla worked alongside Nasheed's lawyer,

Amal Clooney Amal Clooney (; ar, أمل علم الدين; born 3 February 1978) is a Lebanese and British barrister. Her clients include Filipino and American journalist Maria Ressa; former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed; Julian Assange, the ...

, to get his charges overturned. On 24 March 2015 Ms. Ali Abdulla held a press conference in which she asked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in her husband's case so that he can be released from jail. In a phone interview with the media she said, "I do not know what it will take PM Modi to do it but my wish is that India helps in ensuring that my husband is freed unconditionally and that representative democracy is restored. How India does it is for the PM to decide", On 30 June 2015, Abdulla held a Press Club Newsmaker urging for her husband's release, stating that he was under solitary confinement throughout his detention. In January 2016, Mr. Nasheed was allowed to leave the Maldives through an internationally brokered deal. On 23 January 2016, Ali Abdulla accompanied her husband and his lawyer, Amal Clooney, to meet with British Prime Minister

David Cameron David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...

to discuss Mr. Nasheed's case.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdulla, Laila Ali First Ladies of the Maldives Maldivian activists Living people People from Malé Maldivian Muslims Year of birth missing (living people)