Opposition lawmaker slams broadcasting regulator over Medianet fine
Opposition MP Ahmed ‘ADK’ Nashid slammed the broadcasting regulator Thursday night over an MVR500,000 (US$32,425) fine imposed on the main cable television provider for rebroadcasting an Al Jazeera corruption exposé.
19 Jun 2017, 9:00 AM
Opposition MP Ahmed ‘ADK’ Nashid slammed the broadcasting regulator Thursday night over an MVR500,000 (US$32,425) fine imposed on the main cable television provider for rebroadcasting an Al Jazeera corruption exposé.
Speaking at a ceremony held by private broadcaster Sangu TV to launch a high-definition platform, Nashid said the Maldives Broadcasting Commission appeared to be more interested in issuing hefty fines than fulfilling its legal mandate of protecting and supporting television and radio stations.
The oversight body was authorised to impose fines by the widely condemned 2016 anti-defamation law, which criminalised speech or content deemed to be defamatory, anti-Islamic, in breach of social norms, or a threat to national security.
Medianet’s rebroadcast of the ‘Stealing Paradise’ documentary on Al Jazeera – which exposed systemic corruption, abuse of power and criminal activity at the highest level of government – was deemed to pose a threat to national security.
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