Chief media regulators condemn attacks on journalists

Chief media regulating bodies in the Maldives, Maldives Media Council, Maldives Broadcasting Commission and the organization working for rights of journalists, Maldives Journalist Association (MJA), have condemned the attacks made on journalists last night.

A statement by the Maldives Media Council today stated that the council is extremely worried that attacks on journalists are going beyond limitations, and that they strongly condemn these attacks.

“At a time when efforts are being made to foster independent and professional journalism, the council believes that the attacks on journalists must be stopped. Maldives Media Council urges the police to find the people who carried out the attacks on a Raajje TV journalist, and two MBC journalists, and that they make every effort to investigate those who committed these actions and that the investigations be promptly performed and concluded,” stated the Maldives Media Council statement.

Maldives Broadcasting Commission stated that they too strongly condemn last night’s attacks on TVM and Raajje TV journalists, where the Raajje TV journalist was badly injured. Their statement stated that the attacks on journalists were a means to impede media independence in the country and that the commission describes them as degrading and cowardly actions. The commission also appealed that the people who committed the actions be brought to justice and that adequate safety and security to be provided to journalists and broadcasting stations in the country.

The journalists organization Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) also strongly condemned last night’s attacks. They noted that the attacks were carried out after posting warnings through social medias and that the organization believes that the attacks were specifically targeted towards journalists. They also stated that every attack on a journalist will be viewed as an attempt to impede media freedom in the country and that the organization condemns actions towards those means. The organization also advised all parties to refrain from obstructing journalists from doing their duty, regardless of which party stages protests or rallies.

“Apart from last night’s incident, it is disconcerting that different news agencies and the employees of such agencies are receiving warnings and threats. If such actions persist, we are worried that the door to independent journalism in our fledgling democracy might be barred ,” MJA stated.

While the media regulators have condemned these actions, journalists covering last night’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protests were attacked with packets filled with thinner (a volatile solvent used to make paint or other solutions less viscous). The attack was aimed at two TVM journalists. Raajje TV journalists Ibrahim Waheed (Aswaad) was also brutally attacked last night. He has now been flown off to Sri Lanka for further treatment.