A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Composite image of former president Mohamed Nasheed (L) and JP leader Qasim Ibrahim A feud has been ignited between social media activists of opposition parties, Jumhoory Party and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), after a poll taken by local television station Raajje TV, to find out the most eligible opposition candidate, ended in JP leader Qasim […]
A member of the Maldives print and online media regulator has sued it for declining to investigate a silent protest staged by Raajje TV staff at this year’s journalism awards ceremony. Assad Shareef, a former actor and unsuccessful ruling party parliamentary candidate, filed the lawsuit against the Maldives Media Council at the civil court. “The issue […]
Raajje TV has paid off an MVR500,000 ($32,467) fine imposed by the broadcasting regulator for airing comments deemed a threat to national security, as a preliminary hearing to appeal an earlier fine began Sunday. The opposition-aligned station was last month penalised for broadcasting remarks from opposition MP Mohamed Musthafa. It was the third fine slapped […]
One of the largest TV stations in the Maldives, Raajje TV, says authorities are using newly recriminalized defamation law to try to shut it down by levying exorbitant fines. The regulatory Maldives Broadcast Commission (MBC) has fined the opposition-aligned 24-hour TV news channel for defamation three times in the past seven months, for a total […]
The civil court has thrown out RaajjeTV’s lawsuit against the state for failure to protect the station during the 2013 arson attack that destroyed its studios and master control room. The lawsuit was filed citing police incompetence in protecting the broadcaster’s assets, despite information being given to law enforcement authorities about the possibility of an […]
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: […]
Raajje TV journalists hold peaceful protest against Broadcasting Commission at the Maldives Journalism Awards 2016 held in October 2017. PHOTO/MIHAARU Opposition aligned television channel Raajje TV has filed at the Civil Court, seeking to delay the deadline of the station’s latest fine for defaming the president. Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) had fined Raajje TV by […]
Journalists and politicians have questioned the independence of a broadcasting commission member after she was pictured organising a campaign event for President Abdulla Yameen. Fathimath Zaina, who worked as an aide to First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim before joining the Maldives Broadcasting Commission, was photographed handing out seating arrangements to people at a rally Monday night. […]
Raajje TV has plans to appeal the Maldives Broadcasting Commission decision to fine the station, also saying Monday it is suing the police for negligence over a 2013 arson attack that destroyed its studio. The opposition-aligned station was fined MVR 500,000 ($32,467) for airing comments the broadcasting regulator claimed posed a threat to national security […]