Under threat, Maldives TV stations censor speeches of exiled leaders
Media outlets that “promote” convicted opposition leaders could be shut down.
04 Aug 2018, 9:00 AM
Privately-owned TV stations Friday night blacked out speeches from exiled opposition leaders at a Jumhooree Party rally.
Former president Mohamed Nasheed and JP leader Gasim Ibrahim spoke via video conference but the opposition-aligned Raajje TV and Villa TV cut off live coverage, heeding warnings of punitive action from the broadcasting regulator and home ministry against “promoting” convicts.
Nasheed, who was found guilty of ordering the “abduction” of a judge after a widely condemned trial in 2015, lives in exile in Sri Lanka. Business tycoon Gasim fled to Germany after he was convicted of bribery and sentenced to three years in jail in August last year.
Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, Raajje TV’s chief operating officer, told the Maldives Independent that there were no legal grounds to ban coverage of the heavyweight politicians.
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