Maldives Independent is back!
The award-winning Maldives Independent is thrilled to announce its relaunch, exactly five years after suspending operations on January 31, 2020.

31 Jan, 11:42 PM
JJ Robinson
The award-winning Maldives
Independent is thrilled to announce its relaunch, exactly five years after
suspending operations on January 31, 2020.
Formerly known as Minivan
News, the Maldives Independent was founded in 2004 during the early
days of the country’s democracy movement. Over its 15-year history, it became
internationally recognised for its fearless and credible journalism, earning
the Index on Censorship’s Press Freedom Prize in 2017.
The publication has
faced grave challenges—including the tragic abduction and murder of journalist Ahmed
Rilwan in 2014 and the assassination of contributor Yameen Rasheed
in 2017. Despite a state investigation, justice remains elusive, with the commission
tasked with their cases dissolved in 2024 under the current administration
of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
Throughout its
history, the Maldives Independent has been a training ground for many journalists, who have gone on to work with global media such as Al
Jazeera, the BBC, The Financial Times, New York Times, Foreign Policy Magazine, Reuters, the Washington Post, the Organised Crime and Corruption
Reporting Project (OCCRP), and Himal Southasian.
Q&A:
Who’s behind the relaunch?
The Maldives
Independent is now wholly owned and operated by a team of its former
Maldivian journalists. It also has an advisory board composed of former
editors, media industry experts, and startup professionals to help guide this
new chapter.
What will we be publishing?
We’re back with a focus
on original stories, in-depth features, and sharp analysis—covering
everything that matters to Maldivians. Expect a mix of news, investigations,
and perspectives from across Maldivian society.
🔹 Two
newsletters: A weekly roundup of key stories and analysis, and a daily
briefing that puts the news in context. (Sign up here!)
🎙️ A weekly podcast featuring expert
guests, conversations, and interviews.
📺 A YouTube channel is on the way! Stay
tuned.
📚 Our archives are now available, and
you can catch up on the last five years in our recap. (Read it here!)
Why did the Maldives Independent shut down?
Like many
independent media outlets, we relied on advertising revenue to sustain
operations. But with declining ad revenues and no state or political funding,
it became increasingly difficult to remain financially viable without
compromising our independence.
How will we sustain ourselves this time?
We believe
independent journalism should be for the people, supported by the people.
That’s why we’re
asking our readers to directly support us:
💡 Join
our membership programme – Coming soon! A small monthly contribution helps
keep our journalism free and independent. Members will receive an exclusive
newsletter, invitations, and perks.
🤝 International media development
assistance – We’ll seek funding from reputable organisations that align
with our editorial values.
📢 Advertising & sponsorships – But
only when it meets our strict independence guidelines.
Every bit of support
will be reinvested back into our journalism.
What are our editorial values?
We hold ourselves to
the highest standards of fairness, accuracy, and independence. Our
principles include:
✔️ Right of
reply
✔️ Transparency & accountability
✔️ Clear, prompt corrections when needed
We subscribe to the Journalism
Trust Initiative by Reporters Without Borders—an industry standard for
ethical journalism. (Read our full editorial policy here.)
Will we use AI?
No AI-generated
journalism here. All content will be produced by human journalists.
However, we may use AI for behind-the-scenes tasks like tagging articles
or proofreading. (Read our Responsible AI Use guidelines here.)
We’re excited for
this next chapter. Thank you for your support. Let’s build a stronger,
independent Maldivian press—together.
🔗 Follow
us on social media:
— The Maldives
Independent Team
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