MMC: Unacceptable that police did not stop journalists being forced to delete videos

Maldives Media Council (MMC) has said that it is not acceptable that police did not intervene to stop journalists being intimidated into deleting their videos of an alleged meeting between Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin and Judge Abdul Baaree Yoosuf, at a café in Malé.

Speaking at a press conference today, President of MMC Mohamed Asif said that journalists are allowed to take videos at restaurants which are open to public, and the fact that police officers present at the scene when the journalists were asked to delete the videos did not make any effort to stop this, is not acceptable.

He noted that in this situation, the journalists were not given due protection by the police.

MMC Member Ahmed Hamdhoon said that journalists are facing new challenges, and highlighted the decision to bar Raajje TV from some hearings at Criminal Court.

He said that action can be taken against individual journalists, but barring a whole media station was not acceptable.

He went on to say that journalists also face difficulties in covering protests as well as parliament sittings, especially after live broadcasts are cut off. In this regard, he requested that a media gallery be set up in the parliament chamber to allow media coverage of sittings after the broadcast is suspended.

Discussions are ongoing with police regarding these issues, and meetings have been scheduled for today with Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed and relevant officials of the parliament, Hamdhoon said.

Police were not available for a comment at the time of publication.