The Maldives government said Wednesday it was seeking the arrest of former president Mohamed Nasheed for failing to return to the archipelago to complete a prison sentence after receiving medical treatment in Britain.

Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically-elected leader, recently won political asylum in Britain after being granted permission to travel there for treatment while serving a 13-year sentence for a terror-related offence.

"A court order (has been) issued for arrest of former president Mohamed Nasheed," the government said in a statement, issued after Nasheed flew to neighbouring Sri Lanka.