President cancels weekly press conferences for the third consecutive week!
22 ޖޫން 2026 | ހޯމަ 11:17The President has canceled this week’s press briefing citing a busy schedule, marking the third consecutive week the sessions have been suspended. Despite an earlier commitment to hold weekly press conferences, the last briefing took place on May 1, during which the President drew criticism for remarks directed at certain journalists.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. | Presidents office
The press briefing scheduled for Monday, as part of the President's commitment to hold weekly meetings with the media, has been cancelled.
The government spokesperson stated that the press conference could not be held due to the President's busy schedule and time constraints.
This marks the third consecutive week that the President’s press conference has been canceled.
The President has previously announced that, starting in March, one hour each week will be specifically dedicated to meeting with the press. The government stated that, under this policy, these press briefings will be held every Monday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
The President has previously stated that he intends to hold weekly press briefings to answer questions from the media, provided there are no official holidays, scheduled travel away from the capital, or unforeseen emergencies.
However, press briefings have been canceled in the past as well, with officials citing the President's busy work schedule as the reason.
The President last held a press conference on June 1st. During that session, he drew sharp criticism for mocking the media, labeling certain journalists as "gutter press." On that occasion, the President asserted that some individuals operating under the guise of journalism are, in reality, political activists merely using the label of the press.
Amid growing public concern that President Muizzu’s administration is obstructing media freedom, the Maldives has dropped four places on the World Press Freedom Index.
