U.S. Embassy expresses concern over attacks to Raajje TV and PPM Addu headquarters

The Embassy of the United States of America has expressed concern over the attacks to the local television station Raajje TV in Male’ and to the campaign party headquarters of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in Addu City.

The Embassy stated in a press release today that it is greatly concerned about an upsurge in political violence with attacks against the Raajje TV station in Male' and PPM party headquarters in Addu.

It continued to state; “The United States believes that a free and fair democratic political process depends on peaceful competition at the ballot box and an independent media available to all citizens.”

The Embassy urged authorities to quickly bring to justice those involved in these attacks and called for an end to all violence and political retaliation.

Maldives Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom), Maldives Media Council (MMC), and the Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) have condemned the attacks on Raajje TV.

The local TV station resumed their transmission just 10 hours later at 12:40 p.m. by using borrowed and contributed equipment, inside a studio prepared for the presidential election.