Police Commissioner: Journalists obstruct and confront police during protests

Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed has said that journalists often obstruct and confront police officers during the ongoing series of protests in Malé.

The Police Commissioner made this remark during a meeting with the President of Maldives Media Council (MMC) today, after MMC voiced concerns yesterday that police obstruct journalists’ efforts to cover protests.

Waheed said that police do their best to allow journalists to carry out their duties during protests, however, some journalists and cameramen have been observed to act in a manner that obstruct the role of the police.

He said that police have photos and video footage of such activities, but have not made them public to give media stations the chance to take action to ensure their staff act more responsibly.

He noted the increase in the number of media stations, and said that the large number of journalists covering the events pose obstructions to the police in their efforts to maintain order.

He added that police do their best to provide protection to journalists, but advice given by police officers often goes unheeded by journalists.

Media stations do not have any mechanism to monitor the disciplinary standards of journalists attending protests, said Waheed.

He urged the authorities to increase awareness among journalists regarding the laws and procedures to be followed when covering such events.

MMC, Broadcasting Commission, and police agreed to hold discussions and take immediate action to address these issues and eliminate the obstructions faced by journalists, to facilitate an environment that allows the practice of responsible journalism.