Raajje TV was not invited to CNI report ceremony due to lack of space: President

The President’s Office has said that media operators were invited to the ceremony held for the release of the report by the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) based on the availability of space.

Media Secretary of the President’s Office Masood Imad made this statement in response to a letter sent by Maldives Media Council (MMC), requesting for a reason for excluding Raajje TV from the media operators invited to this ceremony.

Masood Imad said in relation to this letter that the President’ s Offices’ invitations to media operators depend on whether the station in question had breached security standards or the code of conduct in the past.

“We don’t have to invite everyone. Invitations are not given because the person receiving it requests for it, rather, it is given because the person giving it wants to. Media Council must be misinformed about this,” he said.

When asked about the security issue surrounding Raajje TV, Masood refused to comment citing that the case is currently in progress in Court.

President of MMC Ibrahim Khaleel said that all media operators must be given access without bias, and that the President’s Office must be clear about the reasons for excluding a particular station.

“I don’t believe that they should give the reason when asked for it later. True, only they know who they want to invite. That’s not what I’m saying. Media is the intermediary body in informing the public about the government’s activities. Therefore the President’s Office should publicise unbiased plans to invite all media stations registered in the Maldives,” Khaleel said.

He stressed that the President’s Office should act as an exemplary institution in matters related to freedom of media.

MMC has established a Committee to address the problem of the Police and some government institutions refusing to cooperate with Raajje TV.

Raajje TV has said that it will not engage in dialogue with the government or the Police, until the Court issues a verdict on the case filed in this regard.