RaajjeTV appeals MVR 1 million fine

RaajjeTV has appealed Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC)'s ruling to penalize the station MVR 1 million for allegedly defaming the President.

The appeal was filed at the Civil Court on Monday.

Speaking afterwards, the station's attorney Mohamed Nishan said that the Court has accepted the appeal, and that RaajjeTV is required to pay the registration fee on the 5th of October.

He noted that his client is seeking to overturn MBC's decision, and to be reimbursed the amount.

He said that as per Civil Court procedures, "the matter will be handled by its Dispute Resolution Division".

"If both parties are unable to resolve the matter in the dispute resolution stage, then the case will be sent to trial," added Nishan.

The private TV station was fined MVR 1 million on April 6, for broadcasting content that MBC 'believed' to be defamatory towards incumbent President Abdulla Yameen, after an inquiry conducted by the Commission's own initiative. It paid the fine on 4th of May.

The content in question was part of a speech by an opposition politician and activist at a rally held by the Maldives United Opposition (MUO) on the 26th of October 2016.

“Take a look at any of the project started out by Abdulla Yameen. Few projects such as a pigeon park was completed”, “there are no airports, flats, airports of any other projects created by him’, “over the space of three years, how many billion Rufiyaa was handed over by the state coffers to him, nothing done”, and “we had received nothing but theft, corruption and pain” are the quotes that the MBC included in its verdict.

The MVR 1 million fine came hours after the station paid its first fine under the controversial Anti-Defamation Law. The MVR 250,000 fine has also been appealed at the Civil Court.