www.mja.org.mv

PRESS RELEASE

Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) condemns the repeated threats given by the government recently against the media.

Yesterday, addressing the local media at president’s office, press secretary Mohamed Zuhair has made irresponsible remarks against press freedom, which was obtained under the constitution.

The responsibility of a remark or a comment made by an individual or a political party shall be undertaken by them selves, but not by the broadcaster or the publisher. Media is only a vessel which carries comments and interviews of both the government and the opposition.

But recently, the president’s office has informed Maldives Police Service to investigate two people who gave an interview against the government, and also DhiTV for broadcasting the interviews. Investigating DhiTV is an attempt to persecute media. So, we call on the government to withdraw the case immediately.

It is a known fact that in a democratic society, there will be media organisations working in favour of the left wing or the right wing. As news on media depends on reports, authenticity on depends on the person who contribute the information. If the provided information is not authentic, there is the opportunity for the affected party to react through media.

For example if the media is responsible to verify the truth of every comment made against the opposition by the president and the press secretary or to verify the president’s remark stating that islands of Maldives are dissolving because of sea level rise, there would be no way that the media can carry the story.

We call on the press secretary, not to tarnish the freedom guaranteed under the constitution, and not to threaten the media, with the Penal Code which was originally drafted during the time of Huvadhoo rebel.

Failing to draft the law stipulated in the constitution does not give the constitutional authority for the government to act against the norms of a civilized world.

We remind the press secretary that challenging media is challenging the press freedom. We also remind people who speak to press to provide information based on facts.

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