A former Malé city councillor on trial for obstruction and unlawful acquisition and disclosure of information has switched factions in the divided Progressive Party of Maldives. “I have withdrawn the support I gave for President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in the political arena since 2008,” Zaidul Ameen declared on his social media accounts. “And I have […]
The prisons authority has denied attempting to coerce Ahmed Adeeb’s family into giving consent for administering an injection to the jailed former vice president, condemning “false allegations” concerning the medical treatment of inmates. The Maldives Correctional Services said in a statement Monday that inmates interact with doctors privately after consultations are arranged upon request. “This service will not […]
On a Thursday evening, fishermen from the local market push buckets of fish guts to the low-lying seawall north-west of the capital, tipping the remains into the sea. Around a dozen whiptail stingrays, lured by the easy meal, scamper to the surface of the ocean for the feast. Ming Yang Hi and his wife follow […]
Four of the five men charged in connection with the murder of 25-year-old Mohamed Anas were Monday given 10 days to appoint lawyers. Anas, a speedboat captain from the northern island of Meedhoo in Raa atoll, was stabbed 37 times in July by a group of masked men inside the Litus Service Centre in the […]
In August 2016, the Maldives passed a controversial law that criminalised defamation and restricted freedom of expression. The Maldives Broadcasting Commission has punished opposition-aligned Raajje TV several times under this law, increasing tensions between journalists and the government-backed regulator. Following is a timeline of actions taken by MBC against Raajje TV this year. March 7: […]
During a daily team meeting one Sunday at Raajje TV, journalists and producers debated on ways to minimise the impact of their third fundraising drive for the year on their work. The campaigns – the current one launched on October 8 – battle exorbitant fines imposed by the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) after the introduction […]
Anti-corruption NGO Transparency Maldives has relaunched a campaign urging the public to pressure lawmakers to disclose their personal finances. The Haamakurey or ‘Make it Public’ campaign calls on MPs to make their asset declaration available to the public. The constitution requires them to annually submit to the parliament’s secretary-general “a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests […]
The behemoth State Trading Organisation has promised higher salaries for its 1,000-strong workforce after changes to its pay structure. The state-owned wholesaler announced a review of its pay structure in a press release Sunday shortly after local media reported that allowances and working hours will be reduced on October 21 as a cost-cutting measure. “At […]
The new governor of the central bank has expressed concern with the Maldives’ vulnerability to external shocks, such as oil price hikes and reduced tourist arrivals, due to a depleted foreign currency reserve. “Although the growth rate is likely to exceed expectations in the short term, substantial downside risks continue to cloud the medium-term and […]