Politics

Maldives votes in third local council election

After multiple delays and campaigning amidst a political crisis, voting is underway throughout the Maldives in the country’s third local council elections.

Vox pop: Voting day

As polls opened Saturday morning for the long-delayed local council elections, the Maldives Independent spoke to voters in the capital about their voting experience.

Raajje TV journalists denied monitor passes by elections commission

The elections commission rejected applications from 32 Raajje TV journalists to monitor Saturday’s local council elections and report from inside polling stations with accredited passes.

Raajje TV pays MVR1m defamation fine

Council election campaign concludes

The May 6 local council election is due to take place despite the refusal of opposition candidates to endorse the final voter list due to concerns over its accuracy.

State withdraws case against PPM candidate

The Prosecutor General’s office has withdrawn a case seeking to detain a ruling party candidate for the Malé city council on an assault charge.

President Yameen on hate speech and limits of free expression

On Thursday, President Abdulla Yameen spoke about hate speech and the limits of freedom of expression. The remarks were widely seen as a reference to the murder of liberal blogger Yameen Rasheed.

Projects and price cuts ahead of local council elections

Ahead of Saturday’s local council elections, ministers have been travelling across the country to launch infrastructure projects, urging voters to choose ruling coalition candidate to ensure the development of their constituencies.

Faris escapes prosecution over statute of limitations

The Prosecutor General’s office declined to prosecute Faris Maumoon, son of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, over alleged failure to reimburse the state for expenses from the presidential palace.

Campaign for council elections enters final stretch

After multiple delays, campaigning for the May 6 local council elections has entered the final stretch with both the ruling and opposition parties walking door to door and holding rallies across the country.

Yameen’s father appeals for foreign involvement in murder probe

Despite claiming to have identified two suspects, the police have yet to make any arrests a week after the 29-year-old was found with multiple stab wounds in the stairway of his apartment building.

Maldives slides on press freedom index

Based on developments during the past year, RSF said the government continues to “persecute the independent media” after a new law criminalised defamation and allowed the authorities to shut down media outlets.

Four arrested over ‘terror plot’

Four men were arrested on Monday during a series of police raids in Male over an intelligence tip off over a suspected terror plot, according to court documents and local media reports.

Yameen Rasheed, blogger and activist, stabbed to death

He was found with multiple stab wounds in the stairway of his apartment building in Malé at 3am on Sunday, and died soon after he was taken to the hospital.

Gasim arrested at midnight on fresh charges, remanded for 15 days

The police claimed that Gasim was encouraging the overthrow of the government in his speeches at nightly opposition rallies. Leaving him free would impede the investigation as he could hide evidence and influence witnesses, they said.

Police seek prosecution of Faris Maumoon

The police said in a tweet after midnight on Friday that the case was sent to the Prosecutor General’s office after completing an investigation requested by the anti-corruption watchdog into alleged failure to reimburse the state.

Maldives Independent wins free speech award

The Maldives Independent and its former editor Zaheena Rasheed have been named the winners of Index on Censorship’s 2017 Freedom of Expression Journalism Award.

CPJ condemns prosecutor general over case against Raajje TV journalist

“The prosecutor general’s insistence on continuing this baseless case against Mohamed Wisam and Raajje TV is clearly intended to intimidate all journalists in the Maldives,” the CPJ said.

Police launch probe into lawmaker’s bribery admission

Maldives Development Alliance MP Mohamed Ismail had caused outrage when he declared during a parliament sitting in March last year that he had carried “sacks of money” to opposition MPs.

Local council elections: MDP questions accuracy of voter registry

The MDP has refused to endorse the election commission’s voter registry for the upcoming local council elections, saying it is unable to verify the list because of missing identity card numbers.