www.mja.org.mv

PRESS RELEASE

Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) has filed a case at High Court of the Maldives noting anumber of discrepancies held within the “Parliament Privileges and Powers Act”published in the Maldives Government Gazette on the 12th of March 2013, pertaining to the curtailment of rights granted by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives, which guarantees the right to espouse, disseminate and publish news, information, views and ideas, and the right to refrain from disclosure of the source of any information that is so espoused.

The law firm Suood and Anwar LLP will be representing the Maldives Journalist Association regarding this matter. Lawyers Uz.Husu Al Suood and Uz. Ismail Wisham will advocate the case in court, along with Uz. Ali Hussain.

Maldives Journalist Association’s case filed at the High Court requests that,as articles 17 (a), 18 (a) and 18 (b) of the Parliament Privileges and Powers Act curtail the right to freedom of media as enshrined in Article 28 of the Constitution, which as a whole grants the right to espouse, disseminate and publish news, information, and safeguards a person’s right to protect the source of any information, and that the Act’s articles also curtails the right stipulated in Article 53 of the Constitution, which grants the right to seek, retain and instruct legal counsel when required, and so to declare that the seclauses stipulated in the Parliament Privileges and Powers Act as invalid with reason to their contradictory nature to the Constitution, or order the Parliament to amend the aforementioned clauses within a stipulated period oftime.

PRESS RELEASE

Article 17(a) of the Parliamentary Privileges Act states: “[Parliament or a Parliamentary Committee has the power to] summon anyone to parliament or one of its committees to give witness or to hand over any information which the parliament wish to seek.”. This is an article which could force journalists to reveal their sources to the parliament.

Such a clause to provide sources would undermine Article 28 of the Maldives Constitution, which gives the right to protect the sources.

Article 28 of the constitution states “Everyone has the right to freedom of the press, and other means of communication, including the right to espouse, disseminate and publish news, information, views and ideas. No person shall be compelled to disclose the source of any information that is espoused, disseminated or published by that person.”

This legislation also poses serious challenges for free and independent journalism. Therefore we urged parliament to “immediately” change the extra-constitutional clauses that it said compromised the rights and freedom given to journalists by the constitution.

PRESS RELEASE

Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) strongly condemns the violent attacks carried out against a journalaist and a cameraman while covering the arrest of former President Nasheed today.

The journalist Murushid Abdul Hakeem from sun.mv was attacked and tore his shirt and snatched his mobile phone while VTV cameraman Rilwan Moosa was attacked and snatched his video tape in his camera. Both the incidents was happened near former president Nasheeds residence. 

PRESS RELEASE

Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) strongly condemns the violent attacks carried out against three journalists on last night.

The first attacked was carried out against Maldives Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) deputy editor Aishath Liza and reporter Aminath Saani, by throwing a packet filled with thinner at them according to sources. MBC reports that it had caused body injuries including their faces.

PRESS RELEASE

We have been informed that Journalists who cover constant rallies organized by MDP have been repeatedly targeted.

While a VTV cameraman was attacked on Friday, we have received more reports that journalists and cameramen have been obstructed. Local online times.com has informed that riot police have arrested one of their journalists. But the police have denied the accusation. They claimed they haven’t arrested any journalist with a press identity. Police say that they have arrested only the protesters.

PRESS RELEASE

Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) strongly condemns attacking the VTV cameraman Rilwan Moosa while covering a protest organized by the opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP).

We also want to note that journalists have been repeatedly targeted during the constant rallies organized by MDP.

As it is the responsibility of the media to do news coverage on events, it is unacceptable to obstruct their work while exercising their duty in a democratic environment.