Government Says Presidential Security Information Is No Longer Maintained
6 ނޮވެމްބަރު 2026 | ހުކުރު 18:56The Ministry of Defence initially withheld details regarding the President’s trips to Aarah, citing potential national security risks; however, following a ruling by the Information Commissioner, the Ministry now claims it does not maintain such records. This contradicts previous instances where the President himself had publicly disclosed details of these visits during a press conference.
From the hearing held by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM) on October 27. | Raajjemv graphics
The Ministry of Defence has stated that it does not maintain records regarding the President and his family’s trips to K. Aarah, after initially withholding the information on the grounds that its disclosure could compromise security. This reversal follows a formal request for the information submitted by RaajjeTV.
On June 20, 2026, RaajjeTV submitted a request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking details regarding the President’s trips to Aarah for vacations with his family so far this year. The news outlet requested the total number of such trips and a detailed breakdown of the expenses incurred by the state budget. Furthermore, the inquiry sought to clarify whether any individuals other than the President, the First Lady, and their children participated in these trips. RaajjeTV also requested specific information on the number of such instances and the total number of additional persons involved.
In response to the request for this information, the MNDF Information Officer initially stated that Aarah is designated for the President’s family vacations. He noted that ensuring the President’s safety and security is a legal obligation mandated by the Armed Forces Act and other relevant legislation. The officer further declined to disclose the information, citing both the Armed Forces Act and the Right to Information Act. He explained that revealing such details could allow the President’s movements to be tracked, thereby potentially compromising his security.
However, dissatisfied with the decision, RaajjeTV has submitted the matter to the Ministry of Defence's Review Committee for reconsideration. The broadcaster emphasized that it had not requested information regarding future travel, arguing that the frequency and expenditure of past trips do not constitute classified information under the law. Furthermore, RaajjeTV noted that details concerning the costs and participants of the President's overseas and domestic trips, as well as information regarding catering expenses for the official residence, Mulee'aage, have been routinely disclosed in the past.
However, the review committee also upheld the Information Officer's initial decision. The committee stated that there was no reason to overturn the ruling, noting that disclosing the requested information could potentially reveal the patterns of his future movements. From a security perspective, they concluded that the information cannot be released.
Following the submission of the case to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Commissioner ruled that the Ministry must provide the requested information within five working days if it was created, held, or maintained by the institution. The Commissioner further ordered that if the Ministry does not possess or maintain the information, it must officially notify RaajjeTV of this fact within the same timeframe.
During the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM) hearing on October 27, RaajjeTV raised several questions regarding the legal provisions cited by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The broadcaster pointed out that President Muizzu has previously spoken publicly about his trips to Aarah. Specifically, they highlighted a press conference held at the President's Office on May 3, 2024, where the President stated that he had visited Aarah 116 times since assuming office. He detailed that 85 of those trips were for playing football, while the remaining 31 were family visits. Furthermore, it was noted that the President had provided a clear response to social media speculation by confirming that the total fuel expenditure for these trips amounted to MVR 844,635.
RaajjeTV raised the question after the Ministry of Defence claimed that disclosing the requested information could compromise the President's security by revealing patterns of his movements. The news outlet questioned why security would not be compromised in this instance, given that the President himself had already publicly shared the exact same information with the citizens.
Furthermore, it was noted that not all information related to the military's duties can be classified as national security matters, pointing out that information regarding incidents such as fires and flooding is routinely shared with the media. RaajjeTV argued that if the Ministry of Defence's interpretation of the law were applied, even such basic information could never be disclosed. Additionally, the broadcaster questioned whether the President, as Commander-in-Chief, had violated the Armed Forces Act or shared unauthorized information if his official disclosure of these details was indeed considered a breach.
From the hearing held by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM) on October 27.
In its latest response following the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM) ruling, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) stated that the information requested by RaajjeTV is neither produced nor maintained by the ministry. Consequently, the information—which was initially withheld on the grounds that it could compromise national security—is now being characterized by the institution as data that does not exist within their records and is not under their custody.
