President Nasheed pledges zero tolerance on threats against media

President Mohamed Nasheed said his government will not tolerate any threats against the media after two disturbing incidents of media battering were reported on Monday.

President Mohamed Nasheed said “the government will take all necessary measures to prevent attacks on media,” in his weekly radio address yesterday.

On March 15, a criminal gang broke into DhiTV studios and threatened five senior officials after it reported the news that Ibrahim Nafiz “Chika” has been released to house arrest.

Just hours later, on the same day, a Haveeru employee was stabbed.

However, the President said that the “government alone cannot solve social issues such as gang violence, and called on all stakeholders to work together to sustain the freedom of expression and free media that we have today.”

Condemning the two violent incidents, President Nasheed said in a statement a day after the incident: “The Maldivian media is free and open now. We will always support the efforts of the journalists to keep this freedom alive and will value their efforts.”

“The Government will therefore not accept any efforts by a group or individuals which will sideline this freedom,” he added.

Meanwhile the Maldives Human Rights Commission Maldives (HRCM) too has “strongly condemned” the attacks on media.

The HRCM said the attacks against the media are on the rise because of the reluctance of the country’s judicial system to convict people.

Mohamed Rasheed, Director General of the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service was quoted as saying in Haveeru that “more than 300 inmates have been released to house arrest, so far” endangering the entire society.

The HRCM urged legal action against authorities who are releasing criminals into the society.

- Asian Tribune -