Amal Clooney and ousted Maldives president take fight for freedom to Downing Street

Amal Clooney has taken her fight for freedom for political prisoners in the Maldives to Downing Street.

The human rights lawyer who is married to Hollywood film star George Clooney, and the country's outsted president Mohamed Nasheed, joined the Prime Minister for talks in No 10 as they called for continued pressure against the regime.

The country's first democratically-elected leader, who claimed he was deposed at gunpoint and was later jailed for 13 years under anti-terror laws, has been allowed to travel to Britain for surgery on his spinal cord.

Mr Nasheed's brother is acting as guarantor on an undertaking that the former premier will return to the Maldives within 30 days.

David Cameron has said he will continue to put pressure on the regime

At a meeting of 53 Commonwealth countries in November, Mr Cameron urged leaders to toughen up their approach to the Maldives over the "unacceptable" actions of its government.

Ministers from the group will visit the Maldives next month and are expected to send a "strong message" on the need to free all remaining political prisoners.

The Maldivian government has always denied that Mr Nasheed was ousted in a military coup.

 Following the visit, Downing Street said Mr Cameron will continue to highlight concerns about the regime's actions.

A spokesman said they agreed that, while Mr Nasheed's release was a positive step, more needed to be done and it was important for the Maldivian government to maintain momentum, which was necessary if real change is to be delivered.

The Prime Minister told Mr Nasheed that the UK would continue to raise concerns about the erosion of democracy and wider situation in the Maldives and it would also continue to discuss the situation with international partners, including how best the international community can make its concerns clear to the Maldivian government.