Newspapers and Stations which fail to protect National Security will be shut down: Defence Minister

The Defence Minister Thol’hath Ibrahim Kaleyfaan has warned that news stations broadcasting information which may pose a danger to national security, will be shut down.

Speaking at the National Defense Committee today, to which he was summoned regarding the issues raised by Adhaalath Party of Israeli planes arriving in Male’ and a Military Academy being constructed in Lh. Dhiffushi Maadhoo in collaboration with Israel, the Defense Minister said that he communicates with the media operators on issues relating to the media, and that the media should protect issues relating to national security. He also said the failure to do this would mean that the Defence Ministry would have to take the necessary steps against these media operators.

“If they broadcast sensitive information which may interfere with the security and peace in the country, we will take the steps necessary to end it. If that means they have to be shut down, so be it. Whether they are newspaper or TV channel operators, they will be shut down,” the Minister said.

The Minister spoke on media issues when he was posed the question by Reeko Moosa Manik, member of the Committee and Hulhuhenveyru MP, about why no action is taken against media operators which spread misleading stories regarding national security, police, and the Defence Ministry.

The Minister further said that claims by a Party that they have received information regarding a national security issue should be checked, and they should be questioned on how they obtained that information, since national security issues are held undisclosed.

“If such secret information is leaked, that is a serious case which will be investigated. We want to know how this particular Party came to know about this. And we will take steps against it,” the Minister said.