Despite recent proposals for reforming and updating media law in the country, the Maldives is amongst the worst offenders against press freedom in Asia. On World Press Freedom Day, ARTICLE 19 highlighted the Maldives, a country increasingly coming under scrutiny for its poor free expression record. ARTICLE 19, together with The Friends of Maldives, drew attention to the restrictive conditions under which the independent media operate in the country, appealing to the government to demonstrate its commitment to protect media freedom in the country. (11-MAY-06)

By ARTICLE 19´s Dini Widiastuti

The Maldives is amongst the worst offenders in Asia with regard to press freedom. The Maldivian media is governed by a draconian set of regulations that are aimed at curtailing any criticism of the government or officials. The government applies the Criminal Law to prosecute outspoken journalists and puts barriers to entry for independent media to operate in the country. They also censor and harass critical and opposition media. Human rights activists are increasingly worried for dissenting voices currently serving prison sentences, including film-maker and photojournalist Jennifer Latheef.

Latheef is employed by the news group Minivan, which operates the only independent radio station serving the outer atolls and produces the main independent English daily. It has been the target of government clampdowns over the last year. Following Latheef’s sentencing in October 2005, in December, police raided Minivan’s offices following allegations that the group were involved in the trafficking of illegal weapons. No weapons were found in the raid. In April 2006, Abdulla Saeed Fahala, a reporter for Minivan Daily, was sentenced to life imprisonment on drug charges.

The editor of Manas magazine, Abdul Hameed, is currently under investigation for “acts against the state? after publishing an advertisement in Minivan Daily calling for people to join a peaceful demonstration to protest against high property rents in Male. Nazim Sattar, sub-editor for Minivan Daily, faces six months in prison for quoting an opposotion party member in one of his articles. If Mr Sattar is sentenced, the newspaper will suffer a severe staff shortage that will jeapordise future publication.

Earlier legal cases against journalists include that of Ahmad Didi, Mohammad Zaki, Ibrahim Lufthy and Fathimah Nisreen, who were working for an online newsletter, “Sandhaanu”, and charged with defamation and “attempting to overthrow the government? in July 2002. The first three were sentenced to life imprisonment and Nisreen to ten years. Ibrahim Lufthy, who fled the country, is still considered a fugitive, although the other three have since been released.

These government-led attacks on the independent media raise serious concerns among free expression organizations over the government’s commitment to upholding freedom of the media and to seriously implementing legal reform of it.

Roadmap for reform
In March 2006, the government of Maldives launched a Roadmap for the Reform Agenda, which included proposals for reforming media-related legislation. Although the need for media law reform in the country is recognized by both The Friends of Maldives and ARTICLE 19, and its implementation encouraged, the fact that the recommendations have been drafted without any public consultation is troubling to both organizations. ARTICLE 19’s legal analysis of one of these, the Bill on Media Freedom, indicates that it does not meet international standards and actually provides legal justification for more government control over the media.

On the eve of her visit to the Maldives, Agnes Callamard, the Executive Director of ARTICLE 19 stated: “The government has produced an agenda for reform, but the independent and opposition media and activists continue to be targeted. Therefore we call on the Maldivian government to show more commitment to protect press freedom and freedom of expression.?

Increase in support for the opposition
President Gayoom has been in power of the Maldives for 28 years and is Asia’s longest serving leader. Despite economic growth in response to the increased development of tourism industry, the people of the Maldives are denied some of the most basic human rights. Since the murder of a young prisoner in custody in September 2003, there has been increased support for the opposition party, and increased reporting of human rights violations by independent media, both online and through radio broadcasting. 

In a joint statement issued on 6 May, The Friends of Maldives and ARTICLE 19 appealed to the Government of Maldives to:

? stop intimidation and harassment of media and journalists who are critical of the government;
? respect the independence of all media, including independent and opposition media;
? consult and involve the public (including the opposition parties and media) in legal reform concerning the media;
? bring the proposed media laws in line with international standards on freedom of expression

Agnes Callamard is representing ARTICLE 19 on an international monitoring mission to the Maldives with other organisations campaigning for media freedom, including International Media Services of Denmark. 


For further information, please contact:
Sarah Mahir, Friends of Maldives, at +44 1722 504330 or email: sarah@friendsofmaldives.org
Or Dini Widiastuti, Asia Programme Officer of ARTICLE 19, at +44 20 7278 9292 or email: dini@article19.org.