Media Council decides to forward President

The Maldives Media Council has decided to forward the issue of the President’s Office excluding Raajje TV from its press conferences, to the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG).

This decision was made with the support of 11 members at a meeting held by the council today.

The Media Council said that the President’s Office had been advised repeatedly not to exclude Raajje TV when inviting media stations to its press conferences.

The council said that the President’s Office had disregarded its advice, and that it has thus decided to take action in accordance with article 28 of the Media Council Act.

Article 28 of the Media Council Act states that in the event that a person fails to comply with a notice issued by the council or acts in disregard of the authority of the council, the council shall have the power to transmit the matter to the Prosecutor General’s Office for legal or judicial action.

The Media Council said that the matter will be sent to the PG Office on 10 April in the form of a report compiled with the counsel of a lawyer.

Meanwhile, Raajje TV has filed a case against the President’s Office over the same issue.

The police also earlier decided not to cooperate with Raajje TV. The Civil Court ruled, after Raajje TV filed a case against the police, that the police’s decision not to cooperate with Raajje TV was a violation of the Constitution and the Police Act.